Broken on the Inside
by MsKRyan.ox
Summary: I ask that the five of you listen to this warning, Nicole is a Lang, she may not be by name, but she is by blood, and just like her mother and myself, she has left a trail of broken hearts behind her, she likes to play games, boys. Callen/OC ****UNDER CONSTRUCTION****
1. Chapter 1: Nicole Daniels

**A/N: I do not own NCIS:LA or any familiar characters, if I did, Chris O'Donnell would have his shirt off and Sam would be going to the moon and Iceland. The only character that I own is Nicole (Nikki) Daniels. Characters may be a bit OC, but that is only to fit the storyline.**

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><p><span>Chapter One: Nicole (Nikki) Daniels<span>

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><p>"Is it just me or does Hetty look like she's really worried," Deeks said as he came in this morning. Sam and Callen looked over to Hetty's desk and indeed they saw that she looked extremely worried about something.<p>

"No, it's not just you, she does look worried," Sam said.

"That's not like Hetty at all, she's never worried, unless one of us is in extreme danger," said Callen.

"And that's what makes me worried," Kensi said, as she sat down.

Nate had come home a couple of days ago, and he too noticed that Hetty looked worried, and it shook the team to their very core.

A shrill whistle sounded from above, and the team looked to see Eric standing there.

"Hetty, video call on the big monitor," called Eric. Hetty got up from her desk and ran for the M.T.A.C promptly kicking both Eric and Nell out of their control room.

"Hey Eric, who was calling for Hetty," called Callen. Eric shrugged.

"Mr. Callen, Mr. Deeks, Ms. Blye, Mr. Hanna, Eric, Nell, and Nate, please join me," called Hetty. The team ran up the stairs, hoping that it would ease their thoughts, but what they didn't know was that it was not a case.

"Alright Hetty, what's up," asked Sam.

"My granddaughter, Nicole is back in the country and Director Vance has located her here, you'll need to take care of her, and make sure she does not get hurt," explained Hetty. The team looked shock.

Granddaughter? Did Hetty have kids?

"Wait, Nikki? Nikki's back in the country," Kensi asked walking towards Hetty. Hetty nodded.

"How come she didn't tell me?"

"Ms. Blye, I was unaware that you and my granddaughter were friends."

"Yeah, Nikki and I have been friends ever since the two of us went on that..."

"...undercover mission four years ago in Spain, where that photographer was killing any models that had Navy connections," said a brunette that was standing behind Nell. Kensi hearing the voice turned and squealed, launching herself into the girl's arms.

The brunette was laughing as Kensi and her were reunited. Hetty stood there smiling, while Nell was pulled into a girl's group hug. Callen, Sam, Deeks, Eric and Nate were looking at the brunette with a renewed interest.

Two very subtle coughs came from behind them. They turned to see Hetty staring very intently at them, which sort of creeped them out.

"I ask that the five of you listen to this warning, Nicole is a Lang, she may not be by name, but she is by blood, and just like her mother and myself, she has left a trail of broken hearts behind her, she likes to play games, boys, she's an amazing agent, but you must understand, she will have no qualms in letting you get attached without any feeling any attachment herself. Just watch yourselves," Hetty said, as she watched the three girls, talk about where Nikki was stationed last.

Hetty began to walk away from the five of the guys.

"Does she really think that we're all going to fall for the boss' granddaughter," asked Callen.

"Well, I mean, look at her, it wouldn't be hard, but Hetty's probably right we should just do our job," said Nate, as he walked up to Nikki, introducing himself, only to be pulled into a hug.

"I'm going to go introduce myself, and see if I can show her around L.A. sometime," said Deeks, as he left the other three to their thoughts.

"Hi, I'm Deeks, but you can call me Monty..."

"Oh, I know who you are, Kensi told me all about her new partner," said Nikki, giving him a hug, just like she did to Nate. Deeks instantly wrapped his arms around her waist, and returned it. He found that her perfume had the most intoxicating smell. It smelled like the ocean with a mix of grass after a rainfall.

"Uh, Monty," said Nikki.

"Yeah," he hummed.

"Uh, I have other people I need to meet," she answered.

"Like who," he asked.

"Uh, me," said a voice behind them.

"And me," said another.

"Yeah, them," said Nikki. Deeks quickly let go of Nikki, and blushed. Kensi silently giggled at him. She knew that Deeks would act like a love struck teenager once he saw her.

She understood that Nikki was gorgeous, she had beautiful curly brown hair, with striking green eyes. It did not surprise her that Deeks found her attractive.

"Hi, I'm Sam." He held out his hand to her. Nicole looked at the hand, but hugged him instead. Instinctively he wrapped his arms around her waist as well. She felt so petite in his arms, it was like she needed to be protected, and he could do just that. He was strong, and face it good-looking. He loved it.

"Uh, Sam..."

"Right," he answered, quickly letting go of her. She turned towards Callen.

"Nikki Daniels."

"Callen."

"Just Callen?"

"G Callen," he said holding out his hand, like Sam had done. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and put her head on his shoulder, as he wrapped his arms around her. She fit perfectly. It was as if they were two puzzle pieces separated by time, but they finally found each other. Nikki pressed herself even closer to Callen.

The way he smelt reminded her of her late grandfather Mr. Desmond Lang, he would take of her when she was sick or when she was upset, he was always there for her, and now Callen reminded her of him.

The group was watching the two intently. Deeks, and Sam were glaring at Callen, as they watched Nikki burrow her head into his shoulder, wishing to surround herself with the smell of his cologne. She felt so safe in his arms.

"Nicole!"

Nikki quickly detached herself from Callen, and ran towards the voice of her grandmother.

Callen, Sam and Deeks watched her go, until Kensi coughed from behind them.

"Enjoying the view," she asked.

All three of them began to look elsewhere, making sure not to look in the direction that Nikki had ran off. It was almost laughable, how alike the three of them were. Kensi could tell that each of them were under Nikki's spell. She's seen it many times before. Nicole has this sort of magnetism towards guys and it seems like the guys, have fallen, and fallen hard.

She knew that Nikki, didn't really like Deeks or Sam...she had wanted to quickly detach from their hugs, and that's what she'll do if she doesn't feel a connection, but Nikki's hug with Callen confused Kensi. Usually Nicole would quickly end the hug, but not only did she continue to hug Callen, for awhile, but she also burrowed her head into the crook of his neck. That was _NOT_ normal Nikki behaviour.

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><p>Downstairs, Nikki was sitting opposite her grandmother.<p>

"Now, Nicole, I am quite aware of the games you play with your fellow male agents, and I will not stand for any of those games being played here, while you work. I know that you are not working for me, but you are Director Vance's L.A. Executive Assistant, but you will be doing undercover work, while you are here, and I must warn you that all three of those men up there, are extremely broken on the inside, and I won't stand for you to hurt them anymore," Hetty said, before she took a sip of her tea.

Nikki looked at her grandmother, also taking a sip of her tea.

"Grams, I'm not here to play games, and actually I really don't play games, I just attract them, I don't ask for their attention, but really what girl wouldn't want it," Nikki explained, as she watched her grandmother. Both were quite aware of the other's past.

"Nikki, this is not like..."

"I know this is not..."

"Then why are you acting like it's..."

"I've only been here for a few hours, how have I been acting like I'm in..."

"Don't you argue with me, you know you were acting like you were in..."

"I was not acting like I was there, I was acting like myself."

"Really? Giving hugs, as soon as you meet them," Hetty yelled.

"That's how I've always been. Should I remind you of Mom's favourite story to tell to..."

"Anyone that is in the family, about when I first..."

"Held me, that I quickly wrapped my little..."

"Arms around my wrist, and held it close to you..."

"And that was the beginning of me being a..."

"Total..."

"Hug whore."

"Nicole Bridgette Daniels."

"What you know it's the truth."

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><p>Back in the control room, the team could hear, the argument that was going on downstairs, between the two Langs. Kensi being aware of what Nikki's past holds, quickly ran downstairs, to make them both aware of what was being heard.<p>

"What do you think happened to Nikki," asked Nell, coming to stand beside Nate.

"Whatever it was, it's bad," Deeks said.

"Yeah, but is it something we want to know about?"

"Probably not."

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><p><strong>AN: I hoped you enjoyed it! **

**xo**


	2. Chapter 2: It Begins

**A/N: Warning – Mentions of Rape, but nothing graphic**

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><p><span>Chapter Two: It Begins<span>

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><p><em>Nikki's hands were tied above her hand, as she tried to swiftly get loose from them, but they were quickly cutting off her blood circulation. She was covered in sweat, and her hair was sticking to her face, making her even hotter. <em>

_She kept looking towards the locked door, hoping that __HE__ would not be coming back anytime soon. Her t-shirt was ripped, and her skirt was in shreds, but nothing had been done. Nikki knew it was going to happen soon, but it would not happen if she could just get free of these ropes. _

_She began to struggle again, but nothing. It seemed that the ropes were getting tighter, cutting off more circulation as she went. She could feel the marks that were being left by the ropes, and it was then that she heard __HIS__ footsteps. _

_Her movements became erratic, as she tried to get free, to try and fight him off, but it was too late. The door opened and __HE__ stepped inside. __HE__ was shirtless due to the heat, and she could see every mark that was left on his chest from every wound he had gotten working on the job. It scared her that someone so good, had become so bad._

"_Please, please don't do this," she begged, still trying to get free from her confinements. The man shook his head no._

"_Let's dance, babe," he said quickly removing her skirt from her body._

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><p>Nikki screamed as she woke from her dream. Lifting her shirt, she looked at her stomach, after he had finished, he had taken a knife to her stomach carving in his first initial. B. She would have to live with it forever.<p>

She had been stuck in that room for a total of 5 days, before someone came to save her. She knew that she would always be in debt to Tony Dinozzo. He was like a big brother to her, after the incident, and she missed him dearly, now she was in L.A.

She laid back against her pillows, and turned towards the open window, where she listened to the rain, and thunder, as she willed peaceful sleep to come once more. Glad that she had decided to wait, until the house Director Vance had set up for her was finished, instead of rooming with her Grams or Kensi until it was.

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><p>Callen walked into work that morning to find a new desk added to the pen. It was right beside his, which was right beside Kensi's. Wonderful...<p>

He was going to have to deal with their girl chat. Fun.

He sat down at his desk, and noticed there was a white envelope inside his mailbox. Never one to receive mail or send it, he just stared at it.

And he continued to stare at it, until Deeks and Sam walked in. Both of them finding the exact same white envelope in each of their mailboxes. They looked official. All three of them noticed that it was only the three of them, that had received these, official looking envelopes, and that neither Kensi or Nikki had received one.

"Do you think we're in trouble," Deeks asked.

"No, maybe they're finally sending Sam to Iceland or the Moon," Callen said sarcastically.

"Laugh now, my friend, but it just might be, and if it is, you and Deeks are coming with me," Sam said, as he watched Callen's smile turn into a scowl.

"Never, it never fails,"Nikki said as she and Kensi were walking in.

"I know, it's extremely helpful, when you can't get to your wallet," Kensi answered, as she took a seat at her desk. Callen looked towards Sam and Deeks helplessly. Stereo, girl chat, again wonderful...

Sam and Deeks silently laughed at him. No, they did not want to be in the middle of Kensi and Nikki. They were the Best of Friends, nope it was not going to happen.

"Seriously though, he was kind of hot," Nikki said as she too took a seat at her desk. Kensi nodded, waiting for the guys reactions.

"Wait, who was hot," Deeks said, as he listened to their conversation. Both Sam and Callen had found a renewed interest in the conversation, when this had come up as well.

"This guy, at the store we were just in," Nikki replied, filing her nails, leaning back in her chair. Kensi giggled.

"Yeah, you should have seen her guys, she got us an employee discount and she has never worked a day in her life at a clothing store," Kensi laughed, grabbing Nikki's bags to put in her car for her. As Kensi left, Nikki took a look at the envelopes in each of the guys' hands.

"Wow, those look official, you should probably open them, I know Grams hates to be kept waiting," Nikki said as she opened her computer, and took a sip of her ice coffee. Swiftly, the guys opened each of their envelopes, to find two letters tucked away inside.

The first one was from Hetty.

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><p><em>Mr. CallenHanna/Deeks_

_Heed my warning, she likes to play games, and if you so wish to persue her, remember I will take her side over any of yours, every day of the week. You hurt her, or get her hurt and I will kill you._

_Ms. Henrietta Lang_

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><p>Each one of the guys, looked up from the letter, to what they thought was an oblivious Nikki. They assumed that she was just checking her e-mail, so they opened the next set of letters.<p>

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><p><em>Mr. CallenHanna/Deeks_

_We have come to see Nikki, as one of our own. She is family. See to it that she is kept safe and we will make sure that none of you, need to deal with Hetty's wrath as well as our own._

_Z. David, T. Dinozzo, L.J. Gibbs, D. Mallard,  
>T. McGee, and A. Scuito<em>

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><p>Again, the team looked up. Callen was surprised that Gibbs would turn against him, but he was not entertaining the idea for very long, as Nikki soon stood, and for the first time, they really looked at her. She was in a really short skirt, and blouse.<p>

"Damn," whispered Deeks, as she walked away, to go talk to Eric.

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><p>"Eric, can you do me a huge favour," Nikki said sitting on top of Eric's desk. He looked up at her nodded, quickly hiding a white envelope.<p>

"Sure, Nikki, anything for you," Eric said walking sitting down in his chair and looking at her, concentrating on her long legs.

"I need you to pull up Beck Halfendale's file," Nikki said, as she moved his head, from concentrating on her legs, to looking her right in the eye. Eric knew what she was asking for, he had been briefed by Hetty with Nell and Nate, but he was supposed to keep that to himself, and not tell Callen, Deeks or Sam. The result could be disastrous.

"He died, in a shoot out, Nikki, what do you need his file for," Eric asked, as he pulled the file up on his computer. Nikki handed him a USB key, and he knew to put it on there.

"My past, Eric, I'm well aware you know about it, just give me a copy of the file, I need to make sure he's actually dead," Nikki said, as she placed a hand on her stomach, where the B was etched into her skin. Not very many people knew about it, only those who found her, the paramedics and her doctor, but no one else. Not even her Grams knew.

Eric saw her place her hand on her stomach, and his mind went wild with suspicions. Had she gotten pregnant? Did she keep the kid, give it up for adoption, or did she have an abortion? So many thoughts were running through his head, as he transferred the file for her.

Nikki watches as he did, slowly removing her hand from her stomach, but it did not surprise her, when Eric turned towards with a expression of worry.

"Nikki, don't go getting yourself killed, you have someone that depends on you," Eric said, as he handed her the USB key, taking a shot, at thinking she had gotten pregnant.

Nikki looked at Eric, a little confused, and then she caught onto his train of thought.

"Eric, I didn't get pregnant, but something else happened that I will have to live with for the rest of my life," Nikki explained. Eric looked at her in wonder, wondering, what it was that she would have to live with for the rest of her life. Was it AIDS, or some other STD or STI?

She began to lift up her shirt, and it was there that he saw the B.

"Beck Halfendale," he whispered, as she put her shirt back down.

"You can't tell anyone Eric."

"Can't tell who what, Nicole," asked Hetty.

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><p><strong>AN: I hoped you enjoyed this chapter as well!**


	3. Chapter 3: A Chip in the Armour

**A/N: Warning: Mentions of Rape, but nothing Graphic.**

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><p><span>Chapter Three: A Chip in the Armour<span>

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><p>Nikki and Eric turned towards Hetty, expressions of both surprise and worry on their faces. Nikki quickly went to run from the room, but Hetty's look promptly stopped her. She began to play with her fingers, and was looking anywhere, but at her Grams. Eric looked Hetty straight in the eye.<p>

"Nicole Bridgette Daniels," Hetty started, and Nikki instantly looked at her. She shook her head, hoping that Hetty would end it there, but it was no use, Hetty was indeed worried about her granddaughter.

"Nicole, what do you not want Eric to tell anyone," Hetty asked, and soon the entire team was standing behind her. Kensi noticing, how Nikki looked so small, having to face what her grandmother was asking her to do.

Kensi knew, she had seen the mark one night, four years ago, when they were doing surveillance on a couple of the models. She hadn't said anything, then, but Nikki knew she had seen, and explained to her, when they were back in their safe hotel room. They had both cried themselves to sleep that night. A night that had solidified their relationship as best friends forever.

"Grams, I can't," Nikki replied, sounding small. That had alerted Sam, Callen and Deeks quickly. She sounded like a lost little girl, now, and it wounded each of them.

"How is Eric fit to know, and I'm not, Nicole, I am your grandmother," Hetty argued. Nicole looked at Hetty,;lvdsknmdkmdvsknmvknvkndv

Hetty, and then looked to Nell, Nate, Callen, Sam and Deeks. Hetty instantly got the message and turned towards the team.

"Don't you have work to do," she asked them, sending the five of them scurrying. Kensi stayed behind, and went to wrap her arms around Nikki, who looked as if she was ready to break down into tears.

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><p>"What do you think it is," asked Callen, as he began to flip through files at his desk.<p>

"Whatever it is, it obviously has something to do with her past," Nate supplied. The group nodded in their agreement.

"But, what about her past is so bad," asked Deeks, as he began to look through some L.A.P.D. files on his computer.

"That's what we don't know, and the only people that do know, are Nikki, Hetty, Kensi, obviously and now Eric," Sam answered, as he leaned back into his chair. Nell and Nate shared a silent look, aware of what was indeed so bad about Nikki's past, but that was not for them to tell.

"Do you think we should do some digging, ask Kensi, flip through Nikki's files, ask her old teams," Deeks said, as he now ignored his computer, and was putting his full attention into what might be bothering who, he believed to be, his brown-haired, green-eyed goddess. Callen shook his head no.

"That would be an invasion of her privacy and she might never trust us again, and I really don't want to be on the bad end of Hetty's wrath, if she finds out," Callen answered. And it was then that they heard a wailing scream come from Hetty's office.

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><p>The team had left, and now who all that remained was looking between Hetty and Nikki, both of whom were staring intently at each other.<p>

"Nicole," Hetty started, but Nikki put her hand up, quickly silencing her grandmother. Eric and Kensi watched in amazement. No one was ever able to silence Hetty.

"No, you don't get to talk, you want to know what was so bad, after my ordeal, you'll be quiet, or I'll leave and go work with my estranged grandfather and the FBI, I'm sure they'll gladly, leave me to my privacy," Nikki said, as she began to pace.

Hetty, looked at Kensi and Eric and motioned for them to take a seat.

"I guess, you need to know everything, so...

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><p><em>Nikki and Beck were sitting together at the dock of the Lang Family cottage. Nikki had a giant, princess cut engagement ring on her finger, from Beck. She couldn't stop fiddling with it, as they watched the sunset. She didn't love him, and that's why she kept playing with it. <em>

_It wasn't right to string him along anymore. So as they watched the sunset together, she made up her mind._

"_Beck, we need to talk," Nikki said, as she pushed the blanket off her shoulders. Beck turned to look at her a smile on his face, his hazel eyes staring at her with a sort of sparkle that caught her off guard for a second._

"_What, my buttercup," Beck asked, bringing Nikki back from her thoughts. Nikki took a deep breath and took Beck's hand into her own. He brushed his thumb across her knuckles, only for her to flinch away from the roughness of his fingers._

"_I can't marry you," Nikki said, taking the engagement ring off her finger and placing it into the palm of his hand. He looked at the ring in surprise, and then looked at her, as she went to stand up. _

"_What...,"Beck said, still staring at her, but now with a sort of anger._

"_I can't marry you anymore, Beck," Nikki repeated, as Beck too stood up. He stared at her again with a sort of curiosity now evident on his face._

"_But why?"_

"_Beck, I just don't love you anymore," Nikki began to explain, but before she could finish, something hard slammed into the side of head, and everything went dark._

_When she awoke, she was in the basement of the cottage, her hands tied above her head. She had a massive headache. _

"_Now, what should I do with you," came a familiar voice from the corner of the room. Nikki turned her head towards it, to see a man that she had once loved, but now she saw a sort of monster in his place. _

"_Please, Beck, don't do this, let me go," Nikki begged, looking him straight in the eye, but it was too late, Beck was already in the process of ripping off her t-shirt and skirt. She began to silently cry, as Beck began to touch her, violating her as if she was a common whore._

_Soon her t-shirt was ripped to pieces, and her skirt was in shreds, but she found a new resolve when he began to reach for her underwear. She still had her heels on, and she brought her leg up. Beck thought nothing of it, thinking that maybe she was now enjoying his treatment. _

_But, no instead, she kicked him in the head, sending him across the floor. Beck held his head in pain._

"_You crazy, bitch," he yelled, but walked up the stairs and away from her, leaving her in the cold, dark basement, of a place that she had spent her childhood summers._

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><p>"It didn't stop there, a day later, he came back, and took everything from me, that was mine to give, and when he was finished, he decided, to carve his first initial into my skin of my stomach, so I would have to live with the feeling and memories of my time, confined to that basement for the rest of my life. But no, it didn't stop there. I was confined to that basement for three more days of continuous rape, until NCIS finally found me, and Beck died trying to keep them from rescuing me," Nikki said, before she let go of a very loud wailing cry. Kensi wrapped her arms around her best friend, as she cried her eyes out.<p>

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><p>The team came running into Hetty's office, to see Nikki crying into a weeping Kensi's shoulder. Eric had tears in his eyes, as well did Hetty. All three of them were shocked to see tears in Hetty's eyes. She barely showed emotion, but they guessed that it was Nicole, she was allowed to show emotion, when her granddaughter shared something with her. Nikki continued to release loud sobs into Kensi's shoulder, as the thoughts of her suffering had become fresh in her mind.<p>

"I hate him, I hate him, I hate him," Nikki began to sob, and the team turned towards her. Sam, Callen and Deeks, looked murderous. Who would hurt such a beautiful girl, like Nikki, who? But she continued to sob into Kensi's neck as the team looked on.

Kensi made eye contact with Callen, and he could see in her watery eyes, what she wanted. She wanted him, to take Nikki out of her arms and into his own, but he had no idea on how to do that, without scaring Nikki, and getting injured in the process.

He went for it anyway, and it paid off. He unlatched Nikki's arms from around Kensi's neck and gathered her into his own, letting her sob into the crook of his neck, as the team looked on.

Nikki allowed herself, to be gathered into his arms, as soon as she smelt his cologne. It was the scent that made her feel safe, and it was the arms that made her feel, as like nothing would be able to break through them to get to her.

Sam and Deeks glared as Nikki buried herself further into Callen's arms as she sobbed. They wanted to be the ones that comforted her as she cried, or kept her safe from whatever evils were out there for her, but they weren't going to say anything.

For now.

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><p><strong>AN: And the jealousy creeps through for Sam and Deeks, but don't worry I have no thoughts about breaking up the team. I love their group dynamic, but I think a little tension will be good for the guys. I mean I've seen friends fight over a girl, but then they'll go back to being the best of friends when she chooses one of them, or doesn't choose one of them. I hoped you enjoyed this!**

**xo**


	4. Chapter 4: Am I to Believe?

**A/N: Enjoy!**

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><p><span>Chapter Four: Am I to Believe?<span>

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><p>Nikki would not let go of Callen as she continued to cry her eyes out in Hetty's office, as everyone looked on. He pulled her tightly to him, as he sat down with her in his lap. And it was then that he understood why Kensi had chosen him to give Nikki comfort.<p>

She felt comfortable with him. When they met, he had been the one that had received the longest hug, he had been the one that she burrowed her head into the crook of his neck and he had been the one, which she had let go of, only when Hetty called for her.

"Nikki, my darling," Hetty spoke, as she wiped her eyes, "Go home, get some rest, we'll start fresh tomorrow. Mr. Callen see to it, that she gets home safely." Both of them nodded. Nikki unwrapped herself from around Callen and went to grab everything that she needed from her desk. Wiping her eyes as she walked away.

"Mr. Callen," Hetty called, as he too began to leave her office, thinking that the team had also been dismissed. Callen turned around in response.

"Stay with her tonight, she'll need your strength," Hetty said, as she looked him straight in the eye,

"I will, Hetty, you can count on me."

"I know, I can, Mr. Callen."

Callen turned to leave, but before he could Kensi caught his arm. He turned to face her.

"Callen, Nikki, is in a tough place right now, if you take advantage of her-"

"I won't take advantage of her, Kensi, she'll sleep in her bed, I'll pretend to sleep on the couch," he answered.

"Good, cause if you did, you'd have some brand new bullet holes, courtesy of me," Kensi said, as she left to go make sure that Niki wasn't crying in the women's bathroom.

* * *

><p>Callen walked over to the bull pen to find Nikki sitting at her desk, all ready to go. She gave him a weak smile, which he returned. Grabbing his things, he turned toward her.<p>

"Ready to go," Callen asked. She nodded, standing to leave. As she walked past him, Callen grabbed her hand. She didn't flinch away from it, and they walked out together, hand-in-hand.

Sam and Deeks looked on in anger. Callen was the one that got the longest hug, he was the one that got to hold her as she cried, he was the one that Hetty told to stay with and now he was the one that got to leave with her holding hands.

They continued to watch, until finally Nikki and Callen could no longer be seen. Both of them, turned to see Kensi, standing behind them.

"What's wrong with the two of you," she asked, as they turned to walk into the bull pen.

"That is what is wrong," Sam said, pointing in the direction that Nikki and Callen had left. Deeks nodded.

"What the fact that Callen go to leave with Nikki and neither one of you did. Get over it. It's not like anything is going to happen. He's going to stay the night at her place, because she is extremely fragile right now, and she needs someone to be there for her," Kensi yelled, sitting at her desk, frustration filling her body.

"Then how come, Hetty, didn't send you with her," Deeks asked, his jealousy still evident in his voice.

"I know about her past. Nikki wouldn't want anyone there, who knows about her past, plus Callen was the best person to do this," Kensi explained, starting to sound extremely frustrated with the two of them.

"But, why is that," asked, both Sam and Deeks. Kensi through her hands up in the air and just gave up.

* * *

><p>The drive to Nikki's place was silent, other than the music that Nikki had put on, before she had fallen asleep in the passenger seat of Callen's car. Callen smiled at her, when he pulled into the driveway of her home. She looked adorable.<p>

He slung his bag over his shoulder, and got out of the car. The neighbourhood was quiet and empty. He kind of liked it.

He opened the passenger side door, and picked Nikki up in a bridal carry. Her head resting against his shoulder. The keys were in his hand, until he dropped them.

"Oh, young man," said a voice from behind him. He turned around to see a little old lady, looking at him, dangling Nikki's keys in her hand. She walked over and past him, unlocking the door for him. She smiled at him and then at Nikki, who was still sleeping in his arms.

"Thought it would be best, so you didn't have to risk waking her up," she said, handing him the keys and walking away.

"By the way, you make a beautiful couple," she said and before Callen could turn around to correct her, she turned a corner. Callen looked down at Nikki and smiled.

"_We would make a beautiful couple_," he thought, as he stepped inside Nikki's house. He kicked his shoes off, careful not to disturb her and he walked up the stairs, trying to locate Nikki's bedroom.

He quickly located her bedroom and went to lay her down on the bed, when he was met with a bit of resistance. Nikki had woken up slightly and had balled her hands into his shirt.

"Stay," she whispered.

"All night," Callen replied as he laid both of them down on Nikki's bed. Nikki quickly feel back to sleep, wrapped in Callen's arms, and he soon joined her.

* * *

><p>"<em>Daddy," Callen heard a voice call from behind him. He turned to see a little girl, with Nikki's green eyes, running towards him. He bent down to catch her as she collided with him.<em>

"_How are you, baby girl," he asked, lifting her in the air. She squealed at him._

"_I'm good, daddy," the little girl answered him, hugging him around the neck. The two heard laughter from behind them. Callen turned them around to find Nikki leaning against the doorframe._

"_Hi babe," she said, going to kiss his cheek, only for him to turn his head and catch her lips. The little girl in his arms squealed and covered her eyes, as the two of them kissed._

_Then someone began to scream. Callen looked around to find the person that was screaming. _

* * *

><p>Callen woke from his dream to Nikki's screaming and writhing beside him. Callen jumped to her side of the bed, shaking her, trying to wake her up, from her nightmare.<p>

"Nikki!"

"She continued to toss and turn, as he shook her to wake her up. Still she stayed asleep. Callen had no idea what to do to calm her down or wake her from her suffering.

He ran for his cell phone and called Kensi.

* * *

><p>"<em>Hello?<em>"

"Kensi, something is wrong with Nikki," Callen panicked into the phone. Kensi answered with a sort of gasp, and Callen could hear her gathering her things quickly, sounding as if she was ready to come and help him and her best friend.

"_What is she doing_," she whispered into the phone.

"She's just screaming and tossing and turning," Callen explained, as he ran back to Nikki's room, to hear her still screaming and still tossing and turning in the middle of her bed, where he had left her.

"_She's having a night terror, she usually has them in time of extreme emotional distress_," Kensi explained, as Callen heard a car door shut, indicating that Kensi was indeed on her way.

"What can I do, Kensi," Callen asked, as he watched helplessly.

"_Grab her Mark Salling __Pipe Dreams__ C.D., it should be on her disk rack, then you have to play track 7, Musical Soulmate, don't blare it, but put it on softly, it will usually calm her down enough, so that she'll be able to calm down enough for her to wake herself up_," Kensi said, sounding extremely worried.

"And what do I do if that doesn't work," Callen asked, as he did what Kensi said.

"_If it doesn't work, call Hetty, she'll know what to do_," Kensi said, hanging up her phone. Callen cursed, and then hung up his phone.

* * *

><p>He played the C.D. for her, and soon he noticed a difference. The screaming had stopped, and slowly Nikki stopped tossing and turning. Callen walked over to her, and began rubbing her back, and slowly she began to wake.<p>

"Callen?"

"Yeah, you okay?"

"What happened?"

"You were screaming, and writhing…"

"Oh…sorry I do that, sorry I didn't warn you," Nikki apologized. She knew that she had scared Callen, she could see it in his expression.

"How did you know to put that song on?"

"Oh, I called Kensi, she helped me out," Callen explained, looking sheepish at the fact that he had lost his cool. Nikki smiled at him, putting her hand on his cheek. Callen smiled back at her.

"Thank you," Nikki said, as Callen hugged her to him.

"It was no problem," Called responded, pulling her tighter to him. Nikki looked up at him, as he looked down at her. They looked into each other's eyes for a moment before Callen looked at Nikki's full lips, and she closed her eyes.

Callen leaned down, and then….

There was a loud bang that came from downstairs.

* * *

><p>"Kensi, where are you going," Deeks asked her, as he saw her rushing around.<p>

"Nikki's house, something's wrong with her," Kensi answered. Deeks and Sam began rushing as well, getting ready to leave as well.

"We're coming with," Sam told Kensi. She nodded, knowing better than try to argue.

* * *

><p>"I better go get that," Nikki said, pulling away from Callen. He watched her walk away.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I suffer from night terrors, I have ever since I was 9 years old. According to my doctor everyone deals with night terrors in their own way, the way that Nikki deals with them is the way, that I deal with them. I hoped you enjoyed it.**

**xo**


	5. Chapter 5: Bad Timing

**A/N: I think I left you hanging long enough, so here's the next chapter...**

**By the way if you hear me refer to Nikki as Lindsey, that's her cover name in her neighbourhood.**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Five: Bad Timing...<span>

* * *

><p>Sam and Deeks continued to bang on the door of Nikki's home, until she finally opened the door. She looked at the three member team, trying to figure out why they were all here, standing outside her apartment, making her neighbours think that something was wrong.<p>

"What-"

"Oh, Lindsey, good to see that you're up, you must invite me over for coffee sometime, so we can talk about that sweet young man that I saw carrying you inside earlier," said the little old lady from earlier. Nikki looked confused for a moment.

"Of course, Mrs. Goldberg", Nikki answered, letting the other three inside. Closing the door, she turned towards them.

"Shoes," she muttered to the three of them, before entering the kitchen.

Deeks and Sam looked to Kensi, who began to take off her shoes, knowing how Nikki felt about shoes on her hardwood flooring. Both of the men shrugged and followed suit.

* * *

><p>Callen watched Nikki, as she walked away to answer the door. He leaned against the wall of her bedroom, and silently began to hit his head. How could he have almost kissed her? She was so fragile right there, why did he try to kiss her?<p>

"Hey G, you okay," said Nikki, from the doorway, surprising him.

"Yeah."

"Well, the team's here, you might want to come down, before Sam and Deeks explode," she said, tiredly, clearly wanting to go back to napping in Callen's arms. Callen noticed how tired she sounded.

"Nikki," he said, turning towards the door, but she was no longer there. He sighed.

* * *

><p>Sam and Deeks were checking out Nikki's movie and C.D. collection, when she came to stand beside Kensi, who was watching the two men act like old time detectives.<p>

"You have the worst timing, ever," Nikki murmured to Kensi. Kenisi turned toward her and looked at her in question and then it dawned on her.

"You were...but you and Callen...you look as if you were just sleeping," Kensi stammered to Nikki, who was looking clearly confused.

"No! Kensi! We almost kissed, then you, tweedle dee and tweedle dumb, over there, ruined the moment," Nikki hissed out to her best friend. Kensi looked behind Nikki, and went completely silent. Callen had heard everything that Nikki had said. He inwardly smiled. _She liked him._

"Kensi," Nikki said, waving a hand in front of her friend's face, "what are you looking at?"

She turned around to look and bumped into Callen's chest. He put his hands on her waist to steady her, before she fell backwards. Nikki stared up at him smiling and Callen smiled back.

Then there was this huge crash Nikki's movie rack. She looked over and saw that one of the shelves had given way, when Deeks had tried to put a movie back. Kensi and Callen glared at Deeks, as Nikki put the shelf back with little difficulty. She smiled at Deeks, who smiled back fondly.

"Does anyone want something to drink," Nikki asked, as she got up from her spot on the floor. All four of them nodded.

"Okay, five beers it is," Nikki said, leaving for the kitchen, "G, can you help me, please?"

Callen walked over to the kitchen, while Deeks and Sam took a seat on either side of Kensi. Kensi pulled the pillow, out from behind her, and smacked Deeks with it.

"What?"

"You know what."

* * *

><p>Inside the kitchen, Callen was getting the beer from the fridge, while Nikki looked for the glasses that she bought, while she was stationed in Italy.<p>

The kitchen was tiny, so Callen and Nikki kept bumping into one another, as Callen kept trying to keep out of her way.

Nikki opened a cupboard to find them, when her right leg gave out from under her, due to the exhaustion that she felt. Callen's arm quickly shot forward catching her just in time.

"Whoa, you're quick," Nikki said, clutching herself to him. He laughed. He helped her up, still holding her to him, so that she couldn't fall again.

Nikki looked into his eyes once more, as he looked down into her. She caressed Callen's face as she attempted to turn in his arms without letting go of him.

"You've been quite the hero today," Nikki whispered, as she leaned towards him. Callen leaned towards her at the same time, cradling the back of Nikki's head. He captured her lips in a searing kiss, making her moan at the contact.

Nikki's arms went from pressing themselves against Callen's hard chest to wrapping themselves around his neck. Callen's hand tangled itself into Nikki's hair, as his other hand pulled her closer to him, wrapping it around her waist.

Callen moaned, as Nikki ran her tongue over his bottom lip, begging for entrance which he quickly opened his mouth to.

The kiss soon became a battle for dominance that neither person wanted to lose.

Callen was about to lift Nikki on to the marble countertop, when Sam walked into the kitchen.

"What the hell is this," he yelled, when he caught sight of them in their embrace, while at the same time alerting Kensi and Deeks that something had happened, while Callen and Nikki went to get the beer.

* * *

><p>Kensi, Sam and Deeks were sitting in the living room, listening to Nikki's <span>Nickleback<span> album, that she had bought, while she had been stationed in Canada.

When Animals began blaring through Nikki's surround sound speakers, Sam had gotten up to see what was taking Callen and Nikki so long, getting those beers.

As Sam walked by Deeks, Deeks went to put his feet on top of Nikki's coffee table, only to be met by another pillow to the face.

"Don't," Kensi hissed.

"Come on, I don't have my shoes on," Deeks complained.

"No, Nikki, will have a heart attack if you do," Kensi answered.

"What why?"

"This was her mother's coffee table, they were close."

"Until," Deeks asked.

"9/11, when her mother died, as the North Tower fell," Kensi explained, as she looked to a picture that hung on the wall of a seventeen year old Nikki and her mother, that had been taken a week before.

"What the hell is this?" Both Kensi and Deeks, hearing Sam yell, ran to the kitchen, to see what's wrong.

* * *

><p>Callen and Nikki sprung apart from each other, when they heard Sam yell. They looked at each other with wide eyes. Sam looked ready to punch something.<p>

Nikki took one look at Sam, after she took in Callen's appearance. His lips were bruised from the kiss that they had shared, and his shirt was rumpled from the embrace. With one more look to Callen, Nikki ran from the kitchen, pushing her way through Kensi and Deeks to her bedroom, locking the door behind her,

Callen watched as Nikki fled from the room, and went to run after her, only to be stopped by Sam.

Nikki slammed the door behind her, locking it as she did. She looked at her reflection and saw that she, herself, had bruised lips from the game of tonsil-hockey, that she had played with Callen. Her hair was a mess from the way that he had tangled his hand into it.

As Nikki thought about the kiss that she and Callen had shared, she began to smile and then she looked at her reflection once more, beginning to laugh. Falling on top of her bed, she looked at the ceiling, and continued to smile.

"Sam, don't," Kensi said, as Sam stalked towards Callen.

"Why shouldn't I, he's just going to hurt her," Sam said, his glare not wavering from Callen.

"Nikki, won't let herself get hurt, Sam, trust me I know, I've seen what happens," Kensi snapped at the ex-marine. Sam turned his glare away from Callen and looked at Kensi.

"What do you mean," Sam asked, not noticing that Callen was sneaking away to go see how Nikki was, plus they really needed to talk about that kiss, that amazing kiss.

"She'll break up with them, Sam. If she feels them pulling away, she'll break it off, before they'll be able to, so if YOU should be worried about anyone it should be, Callen." Sam looked to where Callen was, but he was no longer there.

* * *

><p>Callen walked up the stairs towards Nikki's room. He walked towards the door, and went to go inside, but found that the door was locked.<p>

"Nikki," Callen called, as he knocked on the door. He heard her footsteps come towards the door. She opened it and gave him a timid smile.

"Hey," she said.

"Hey."

Nikki stepped aside to let Callen in, shutting the door behind him and locked it again. Callen sat down on Nikki's bed, patting the spot beside him. She took the seat and he wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close to him.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Finally some Nikki/Callen romance going on. Next chapter I really delve into the history of Nikki Daniels, so don't miss it, otherwise you'll be lost the rest of the story.**

**xo**


	6. Chapter 6: My Life

**A/N: Hey everyone, I'm so glad that you're all enjoying my first NCIS: LA story. It's been in the works for some time, but I just haven't had the time to write it until now. For those of you wondering what Nikki Daniels looks like in my head, there is a link to a picture of her on my profile.**

**I am aware that Callen does not remember much about his family life, but I'm going with the vibe I got from Callen G. How he doesn't feel complete because he doesn't know his name, as well as how he almost felt complete by having a blood relative that was alive until later in the episode where he finds that his sister died. So without further adieu...**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Six: My Life<span>

* * *

><p>Callen and Nikki sat there enveloped in each other's arms.<p>

"Why did you kiss me downstairs," asked Nikki, as she laid both of them down on her bed. Callen leaned against the pillows, wrapping his arm around Nikki's waist again, as she laid her head on his chest. He swallowed thickly.

"Look Nikki, when you hugged me earlier today, I felt a connection, I felt that at one point in our lives we were one and we were separated for some time, and when we hugged, I felt as if I was complete and I haven't felt complete for a long time, since my folks died, and I came close last year-"

"G-"

"Exactly, I don't even know my actual name; all I know is my last name and the first letter of my first name. Nikki I can't promise that I'll always know how to help you with your problems and I can guarantee you that I will mess up, say the wrong thing, or do the wrong thing, but I will always be there to listen and do my best to help you when I can," G kept rambling. Nikki listened with a huge smile on her face. He must be nervous. Nikki made a mental note to ask Kensi, if Callen rambled when he was nervous.

"I'm also telling you that if I get identified as a federal agent again, I might not be able to tell you where I am, but I will try and get word to you that I'm alive and I will let you know-"

Nikki kissed him, cutting him off mid-sentence. He gasped against her lips as she did. Once again their tongues began to dance together. Callen rolled Nikki onto her back, softly crushing her with the weight of his body. She moaned at the intimate placement of their bodies, as their tongues continued to battle for the dominance of the kiss.

Callen's hand was rubbing her side, slowly lifting her top inch by inch, to feel skin against skin, as his lips left Nikki's, slowly making their way down to her pulse point. He sucked on it, making her moan, at the intimate touch.

"_Callen."_

She moaned his name into his ear, as her hands went down his back, lifting his shirt as they came back up. He bit her pulse point, making her groan at the mix of pain and pleasure. He rubbed her sides, as he continued kissing her neck. Nikki took her hands off of Callen's back, and grabbed his head, to reattach his lips to hers.

He smiled as Nikki kissed him again, rolling them over so that she was straddling him, and grinding against him.

"_Nikki_."

Callen moaned, as Nikki kept grinding her hips against his. Her hands were on his chest, under his shirt. Nikki loved the feel of his hard muscles under her hands, as she kissed him. He began to lift her shirt more, when the door banged open. Sam standing there, gun drawn, along with Kensi and Deeks.

* * *

><p>Downstairs, Sam, Kensi and Deeks were still talking.<p>

"You really think she'll hurt him," Deeks asked, as he took a sip of his beer. His ego bruised from the fact that Nikki had chosen Callen instead of him. He stared at the bottle as he waited for Kensi's answer.

"If anything they'll hurt each other," Kensi answered, placing her beer on the kitchen table in front of her.

"Huh," Deeks said, now looking between Sam and Kensi.

"Nikki's got a track record, of ruining things that are good for her. Beck...," Kensi said before trailing off. Both Sam and Deeks looked at her now, waiting for her to continue. She looked at the stairs, as if waiting for Nikki or Callen to come down them.

"Continue Kensi," Sam said, placing his now empty beer bottle in the box by the counter. Kensi shook her head.

"Never mind."

"No Kensi, talk."

"Beck, is a guy from her past, SHE needs to tell you, not me," Kensi replied, finishing off her beer. Sam looked at her before taking a seat.

"How bad is it Kensi," Deeks asked, as he watched her reaction.

"Bad, Deeks, and I mean really bad, I cry every time I hear it," Kensi answered leaving the room. Sam and Deeks followed her. She walked into the living room, right in front of the picture of Nikki and her mother.

Deeks and Sam came to stand behind her.

"That was taken a week before her mother died. I remember her telling me, how worried she was as she sat in her high school criminology class, when the news broke about the airplane hitting the North Tower. Her mother and she had fought earlier that morning over her boyfriend at the time. Nikki's father pulled her out of school soon after, as the both of them waited for news, but Nikki said that she had felt inside her heart, that there wasn't going to be any news, because as soon as she heard about the attack, she didn't feel hope, she felt ice cold," Kensi said, all the while she looked at the picture. She looked away from the picture of the two women, to one of Nikki and an unknown man. She picked up the picture.

"Her father had died two years later, so you see she was basically parentless at the age of 19. She had just celebrated her nineteenth birthday two weeks before he died. He was working for the FBI, when he died. It had killed Nikki. Just two years prier and so close to the anniversary of her mother's death, she lost her father to a shooting in a super market, of all thing, a shooting in the super market by their house. According to Nikki, she remembered turning to drugs pretty quick, after that. She had no idea how to deal with the pain of losing another parent, and the only person that she had left lived in Washington, and she hadn't seen Hetty since she was thirteen," Kensi explained, before she put the picture down once more. Sam and Deeks watched as she walked over to a picture that also held an unknown man with a picture, of what they could assume positively was Nikki when she younger.

"When she was thirteen years old, just before she had left her grandparents for the school year, Nikki and her grandfather, Desmond, Hetty's husband, had gotten into a head on collision with another car. Nikki had been sitting in the front seat, and had blacked out, from when her head had connected with the back of the seat. Nikki was the only survivor. The driver of the other car died on impact, and her grandfather died later on in hospital with Hetty and Nikki sitting beside him," Kensi explained, as she looked at the photo.

"Why are you telling us all this Kensi," Sam asked, as he looked at the picture of Kensi and Nikki.

"So you know better than to mention, grandfathers, and parents around Nikki, she won't mention it," Kensi said, as she sat down in the armchair, which had once belonged to Nikki's father. She laughed quietly.

"I remember when I asked Nikki, why she had turned to drugs when her father had died? I can still hear her reply clear as day."

* * *

><p>"<em>When my dad died, something inside me died, when I got the news. I remember feeling alone, all of my friends had their parents and wouldn't have been able to understand my pain, and I just wanted to rid myself of the pain that I felt on the inside. I ended up turning to cocaine, for awhile, and trust me Kensi, it didn't help for long. I would want a fix to help me get through the pain of my thoughts about my parents. And then, I would get high, and then I would feel better, but then my thoughts would set in. 'What would mom think if she could see me right now?' 'What would dad say about his little girl taking drugs like some common street kid?' 'Granddad would be shaking his head at you, why are you doing this?' Then I would have to deal with the pain all over again. Soon it came to the point where I understood that it didn't help at all, and I need to get clean. So I entered myself into rehab and got it out of my system. After I got clean, I went to all of my classes and I applied to work at NCIS, realising that my grandfather had worked for the Navy and my dad was a federal agent, it would help me feel close to them, and my mom being killed in 911, I could help avenge her death, by helping those that dealt with the same sort of pain."_

* * *

><p>Sam and Deeks sat in shock at Nikki's dark past being revealed, Kensi smiled sadly at them. Now they knew everything, well almost everything about Nikki.<p>

"Wow," Deeks said, rubbing his face. Sam nodded. Then they heard a bang.

The three of them drew their guns, and ran upstairs. They came to Nikki's closed door. Kensi went to turn the handle, but the door was still locked. Kensi looked at Sam, and he nodded. Deeks and Kensi moved out of his way, as he knocked it with his shoulder. Once. Twice. Three times. Four times. And finally it went flying open.

Kensi, Deeks and Sam went running in guns drawn, to see Nikki and Callen making out on her bed. Nikki on top of Callen, with his hand under her shirt, and hers on his chest, also under his shirt.

"Really, can either of you keep your hands of each other, Kensi asked, as she put her gun back in her holster. Nikki rolled off Callen, and buried her head into her pillow, hiding the embarrassed blush that was creeping up onto her cheeks. Callen looked sheepishly at the three of them.

Sam smiled at Callen. He had lip gloss on his neck.

"Hey G, I don't think that's your colour," he said, pointing to the spot on his neck. Callen's hand went up to his neck and felt the sticky lip gloss that was there.

"Did you guys here that bang," Deeks asked, looking out the window, choosing to ignore Nikki and Callen's appearance. Callen went and looked out the window as well, while Nikki took her head out of her pillow.

"What bang?"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Holy shit, that was an emotional chapter to right. I hope you guys enjoyed it the best you could. I'm sorry to all those families that lost anyone in the attack on 9/11 or to anyone that has lost a family member in their life time. I know how hard the latter is.**

**xo**


	7. Chapter 7: Tony!

**A/N: Wow, so FanFiction has been giving me problems for the last few days, so I couldn't upload this as soon as I would have liked. Keep reading everybody. I love the reviews, especially from LostForeverInHisEyes. They've really helped me out with the last few chapters and pointed out my mistakes, which is why I'm telling you all this now...DON'T SKIP STRAIGHT TO THE NEW CHAPTER in the next few days I will be doing some editing, so I might be adding some stuff to the chapters. You have been forewarned.**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Seven: Tony!<span>

* * *

><p>Another bang was heard, causing Nikki to jump off her bed and open her bedside table drawer. Inside Callen saw three different guns, each with a gold letter on it. There was an N, a D and an O. Nikki grabbed the one with the N, and ran out her bedroom door, before anyone could stop her.<p>

Callen, Deeks, Sam and Kensi followed her silently, their guns raised. Nikki had just gone into the garage, when the team heard her shriek. They went in guns raised to see her hugging Tony Dinozzo from Washington.

One by one, they put their guns away. Then Nikki hit Tony upside the head.

"Ow, Nikki," Tony whined, as he rubbed the side of his head.

"That was for scaring the shit out of me, and this," Nikki snapped, smacking him the arm, "is for not telling me that you were coming for a visit." Tony smirked at her.

"I wanted to surprise my favourite Navy Brat," he replied, lifting Nikki into a fireman's carry. Nikki let out a joyous laugh, as Tony ran past the LA team and into her house. She continued to laugh, when he put her down. Callen loved hearing the sound of her laugh. It was almost...like the one from his dream, only better.

"Seriously though Nik, how are you," Tony asked. Nikki looked at Tony, the smile on her face gone. Callen had never seen a smile disappear so fast. Everything from earlier had come back and Nikki once again felt vulnerable. Tony noticing the difference, brought her into his arms, where she began to cry again.

The LA team turned to leave, but Nikki's hand quickly shot out from Tony's embrace, stopping Callen, before he could leave. The other three continued to leave, when Callen signalled that he'll catch up with them later.

After the team left, Nikki left the safety she felt in Tony's arms and entered the sanctuary she had in Callen's. Tony's eyed widened, but he didn't say anything.

* * *

><p>"I've been having dreams about it again," Nikki said, as she checked on the pizza that was in the oven.<p>

"Nikki," Tony said, looking at Callen. She shook her head. Callen didn't know about Beck.

"Nikki," Tony repeated himself, now indicating with his head that she should tell him. Nikki sighed. Callen looked between the two of them. He knew that they were clearly indicating him, especially when Tony nodded his head toward him.

"I can leave," Callen said, getting up.

"No! I've asked you to stay and I seem to remember that you said you'd stay all night," Nikki said. Callen returned to his seat, which then led to Nikki sitting in his lap, his arms around her waist. Tony watched the two of them interact with amusement, very little, but it was still there. After all he felt that Nikki was his younger sister.

"I need to tell you something," Nikki said, as she leaned her head against his shoulder.

"What," he asked, kissing her forehead.

"About six years ago, I was engaged to this guy, but you see I didn't love him anymore. I loved him when he proposed, but some time during the actual engagement, I lost that feeling, so I decided to give him the ring back and save him the embarrassment of dealing with a runaway bride," Nikki explained.

"Alright," Callen replied.

"When I gave him the ring back...he didn't take it...very well," Nikki said. Tony looked at her.

"Didn't take it very well, Nikki? He held you captive in the basement of your family's cottage and raped you consecutively for almost three days," Tony scoffed. Callen looked miffed. He wanted to rip this guy apart, make sure that the guy that hurt Nikki, could hurt no one else. However instead, Callen hugged Nikki closer to him, knowing that she needed him more, and didn't need him going on a rampage to find the guy. Nikki sniffled, as she began to cry at the memories that had been brought back once more. Callen rubbed her back, kissing the top of her head, trying to soothe her.

"What happened at the end of the third day," Callen asked, unsure if he really wanted to know.

"N.C.I.S., the F.B.I., and the C.I.A. stormed the place, but I was the one that found her and shot that fucking asshole in the head," Tony answered, taking the pizza out of the oven. Callen didn't know whether to congratulate him or thank him, but he was confused about one thing. Why did all three agencies get involved? Callen quirked his eyebrow in his confusion.

"Nikki was an N.C.I.S. agent and her grandparents on her father's side are the directors for the F.B.I. and the C.I.A. So they wanted her back safe and alive," Tony explained. Nikki scoffed.

"Not like they ever acted like they were grandparents before," Nikki snapped back, when Tony looked at her. Her estranged grandparents never cared about her. They were more likely to care about their German Sheppards, Missi and General, then they were to care about her or her father. They hadn't even shown up for their own son's funeral. Nikki was still angry about that.

Callen began to play with strands of Nikki's hair, trying to calm her down. She laid her head back on Callen's shoulder, as she played with the chain that was around his neck.

"Anyway, dinner is served," Tony said, placing three plates of pizza on the table, and taking the seat opposite of the undeclared couple.

* * *

><p>Later that night, after Tony had fallen asleep on the coach, during a game of Pictionary, a beer bottle in his hand, Nikki and Callen quietly walked up the stairs to her room.<p>

"Are you sure," Callen asked, covering his eyes with his hand, as Nikki shimmied out of her jeans and into her sweat pants.

"Am I sure about what?"

"Sharing a bed, I can sleep on the floor," Callen answered, removing his hand from his eyes, to see Nikki standing there in her sweat pants and an old t-shirt. She smiled at him.

"I'm sure, I'll feel safer with you in the bed, than on the floor," Nikki answered, combing her hair into a high ponytail and opening the window to let the cool breeze in.

"I don't sleep much Nikki," he explained. Nikki looked at him.

"If you can't sleep, just lie there it'll make me feel better," Nikki said.

"Is that all I'm here for," Callen joked. She laughed at him and shook her head.

"Nope, you're here cause I like you," she answered truthfully. Callen looked at her and smiled. She got under the covers, as he watched her. He got under the covers, as Nikki turned out the bedside table lights.

She turned onto her side, while Callen cuddled up behind her, wrapping an arm around her waist. She set the alarm for them to wake up to, and cuddled into his chest, quickly falling asleep. Callen watched as the breeze made the curtains do a slow dance, his eyes closing a few moments later.

* * *

><p><em>Nikki stood at the counter of a kitchen that seemed to be part of a modest home. A teething toddler on her hip, and a little girl at her feet. She looked down at the little girl, that shared her eyes and smiled at her. <em>

"_Mommy, when is daddy getting home? I wanna show him the painting I made," said the little girl, as she watched her mother, try and get her little brother's food ready._

"_Soon, Amelia," answered Nikki, running her hand, through her daughter's hair. The painting in question, hung on the refrigerator, with the cute labels of mommy, daddy, Amy, Oli and Rango. Nikki turned to put Oliver in his high chair, as the water for the spaghetti began to boil, and she didn't want him to get burned. _

"_Amelia, can you let Rango in from the back yard in as soon as you give him a fresh bowl of water," Nikki asked as she chopped up tomatoes for the homemade spaghetti sauce. Amelia laughed, as she splashed water at her mommy. Nikki laughed at her daughter's antics. _

_Rango came bounding in, ready for fresh water, when the front door opened._

* * *

><p><em>Callen stepped inside the modest two-story home. Walking into the kitchen he saw Nikki stand there chopping up garlic for what smelled like spaghetti. An American Akita at her feet, and a messy toddler two feet away from her. <em>

"_Daddy, daddy, look what I made," shouted Amelia, as she grabbed her painting off the fridge. Callen took it into his hands. In the painting he saw four people, all of different sizes, and a dog, all of which were labelled. Mommy, daddy, Amy, Oli and Rango. He laughed, he loved the painting._

"_Very good, Ames," Callen picked her up, putting the painting back on the fridge. Amelia hugged her father around his neck, burying her face in the crook of his neck, just like his wife use to and still does, when she's upset or embarrassed._

"_Hey babe," Callen said, coming up behind Nikki, kissing her cheek, as he put Amelia down. She turned to him smiling. He kissed her full lips, bringing a disgusted squeal from his daughter's lips._

* * *

><p>Tony stood at the door of Nikki's room, watching the two of them sleep. He had never seen Nikki sleep so peaceful since what happened to her, and he knew that G Callen was the reason behind it. Nikki had seen several therapists in Washington, but none of them were able to help her. It had frustrated her to no end. That was when Director Vance had decided to relocate her to LA.<p>

He missed her lots. The office just wasn't the same without her joyous smile around the office, and her infectious laughter was no longer heard. Gibbs was even happier that she was there.

He left and went to sleep back on the couch, grabbing a blanket from the linen closet on the way down, after some difficulty. He had no idea where she kept the spare blankets.

He looked at the picture of the two of them on that stood in her television cabinet and smiled. He couldn't wait to see what adventure Nikki and Callen's love story would have for them.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: No this is not the end, the end of Tony's story line for now. He has to go back to Gibbs now...say bye Tony...**

**Tony: Bye Tony!**

**Me: *face palm* **

**I'll try and update as soon as possible, but with school it might have to wait for the weekend. Let me know if you have any ideas for an undercover OP that involves Nikki and Callen. I have one in mind, but I'd love to see some of the ideas that you all come up with. Credit will go to the person that contributes the best idea. **

**xo**


	8. Chapter 8: Get to Work Nikki!

**A/N: Wrote this while in my Writer's Craft class, so if it seems rushed, that cause it is because we only get twenty minutes to free write anything that we want.**

**Enjoy the new chapter!**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Eight: Get to Work Nikki!<span>

* * *

><p>It's been two weeks since Tony left to go back to Washington. It had a tearful goodbye on Nikki's part, who had missed since she had been stationed in Los Angeles and liked having her "big brother" around when Callen couldn't be. Nikki and Callen still weren't an actual couple. Right now, they were more about stealing kisses when no one was looking and taking turns staying the night at each other's houses, but they mostly stayed at Nikki's, since she insisted that until Callen got a bed, she was <span>NOT<span> sleeping on the floor, being in his arms or not.

However crisis was upon them now, it seems that a serial killer that was targeting couples, where the husband was in the Navy and had just returned from being away on a long-term mission.

* * *

><p>Nikki and Callen had just gotten to work, when Kensi walked into the bull pen, Deeks behind her, and she was rolling his eyes at him.<p>

"See, I told you, she likes him," Nikki whispered to Callen, as Kensi began to mimic Deeks behind his back, stopping when he turned towards her. Callen chuckled silently.

"Worst job ever," Sam said, as he took his seat. The team turned towards him, and saw him in an APS uniform. Nikki tilted her head at the uniform. He looked a brownie in it. It made her hungry for brownies. She was just about to go grab one from the bakery down the street, when a shrill whistle from above.

"Hetty wants us in OPS central...a brownie for anyone that gets up here first," Eric said, walking away. Once Nikki heard the word brownie, she went running up the stairs. Callen, Kensi, Sam and Deeks watched her run and then began to process what Eric had said. Brownies...Hetty made the best brownies. They began to chase after her, but it was no use, she was already there waiting for them, a brownie in her hand, smiling at them.

"Thank you for joining us," Hetty said turning toward them, "Eric." Eric pulled up two pictures. One was of Zachary Valgreen and the other was for Rebecca Valgreen.

"What are we looking at Grams," Nikki said.

"Zachary and Rebecca Valgreen, the newest victims of a serial killer that is targeting couples at Camp Pendleton. He had just returned from a mission in Paris, which involved highly classified information. We need to make sure that this information has not landed in the hands of any terrorists this side of the Atlantic. You'll all be going undercover," Hetty finished, before walking away. She did not want to put Nikki on this mission, but it was by special order of Director Vance, who knew that Nikki was one of the best agents that they had.

"What are our covers, Eric," Nikki asked, recognizing her grandmother's reaction. It had been the same reaction that she had when her father had to go on undercover assignments for the F.B.I., she knew that this scared her grandmother, the others may not, but they hardly knew her, Nikki knew Hetty better than anyone.

"Michael and Anastasia Tavoularis," he replied, handing them two files. Callen looked at Nikki. He was shocked that she was so calm about this. There was a chance that he could die or worse they could both die, and she completely calm as she read over her cover.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Name: <strong>__Anastasia Tavoularis (née Nikolas)_

_**Age: **__29_

_**Birth date: **__1982 06 23_

_**Marital Status: **__Married to Michael Tavoularis for 5 years_

_**Occupation: **__Homemaker_

_**Spouse's Occupation: **__Fleet Admiral on USS Lasson_

* * *

><p>There were little stories, but otherwise it was up to Eric and Nell to keep them safe, safeguarding them from OPS control with back stories that could go as far back as before they were "born". Nikki lived for this kind of job, and pretending to be married to Callen would give her more reason to kiss him, when anyone could see.<p>

Callen looked over his file and could see that this wasn't a deep back story; mostly one that would give them basic information, everything else was up to them. He smiled. Nikki and him, alone, without anyone around and if they saw him kissing her, he could say it was just an act and only Nikki would know that it wasn't.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Name: <strong>__Michael Tavoularis_

_**Age: **__32_

_**Birth date: **__1979 02 18_

_**Marital Status: **__Married to Anastasia Tavoularis(__née Nikolas)__ for 5 years_

_**Occupation: **__Fleet Admiral on USS Lasson_

_**Spouse's Occupation: **__Homemaker_

* * *

><p>Callen laughed at Nikki's occupation. Homemaker? She'll love that.<p>

"Hey Nikki, check out your occupation," Callen said pointing to that in her file. She looked at it and groaned. Sure, she could cook, clean and take of the house, but doing that as an occupation, nope not something she likes.

"Eric, I couldn't have been a receptionist," she complained. Eric laughed and shook his head.

"Look at the note that Hetty attached to the files" Eric said handing a note to Nikki. Nikki took the pink sticky away from Eric and was almost reluctant to look at it.

* * *

><p><em>Mr. Callen and Ms. Daniels,<em>

_This is not on the record, but each of the wives were three weeks pregnant when they were killed, so at sometime during this operation, you must announce that you'll be having a baby. _

_Ms. Henrietta Lang_

* * *

><p>Eric then turned to Nate, Kensi, Deeks and Sam, giving them their covers.<p>

"Nate, you'll be Nikki's brother, Logan Nikolas, living next door, helping them with anything they need. Kensi and Deeks the two of you are Madison and Noah French, best friends of the Tavoularis family, and Sam you are Callen's adopted brother, that also works on the USS Lasson as an admiral," Nell said, handing each of them their file.

Kensi groaned at the thought of being married to Deeks, while Nikki smirked at her. Kensi may be avoiding her feelings when it came to Deeks, but Nikki was quite aware of them, even though Kensi thought she was being elusive about it. Nope, Nikki took after Hetty, she knows everything.

Hetty returned, with a stone-faced look, and stood in front of each of them.

"We have to work swiftly, who knows what Admirial Valgreen knew, but if this serial killer is after important information, we're going to need them to think that both Mr. Deeks and Mr. Callen's covers have vital information, I wish you all the best of luck, your cars are waiting out front," Hetty said dismissing them. They all said their goodbyes and walked out front.

* * *

><p>There in the front of N.C.I.S. Special OPS building were three vehicles. Sam had the keys to a parked red Ferrari 360 Spider, while Deeks had the keys to a silver Lexus RX hyprid, Nate had the keys to a white Chevrolet Impala and Callen had the keys to a black Ashton Martin V8 Vantage. Nikki walked up to the car looking at it appreciatively. She loved sports cars, especially old ones. Her favourite car of all time was a 1967 Chevy Impala, but this car would do nicely.<p>

"Hey G," Nikki called, as he walked up behind her.

"Yeah," he answered.

"Can I drive?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"This car is a beauty and I'm not letting anyone drive it, but me," he answered firmly. Nikki pouted at him, twisting her hair into his fingers. He groaned when he saw her doing that. He knew that look. He has seen it many times over the last month. She did it whenever she wanted it something, and it was just his luck, that he was not immune to it. He tossed her the keys, and watched as she did a little happy dance.

"Thanks G," Nikki said blowing him a kiss. He smiled at her.

"Yo, Nikki, G, we going to get going anytime soon," Sam said, smiling at their antics. He had given up on Nikki, when he caught Callen and her in the kitchen mackin' on one another. He chalked it up to a bad judgement and let Callen have the girl. He deserved it.

"Yeah," Nikki called, sliding into the driver's side seat, and waited for Callen to get. When he did, she started the car, and followed Sam to Camp Pendleton.

Along the way, Callen and Nikki decided to come up with a little bit, of their love story.

* * *

><p>"So, how did you propose," Nikki asked, as she checked her mirrors. Callen shrugged.<p>

"How do you want me to have proposed," he asked.

"Well..."

* * *

><p><em>Michael and Anastasia walked onto the veranda of the hotel that they were staying at in Florida. She leaned into his arms, as they watched the sunrise. Michael reached into his pocket, and pulled out a box, he opened it, and held it in front of Anastasia. She gasped and looked at him in shock.<em>

"_Ana, will you marry me," Michael said, as he turned her around, kneeling down on one knee. She nodded tears in her eyes, as he slid the __950 Platinum Concave Split Band Solitaire Engagement Ring with a white carbon diamond on Anastasia's finger. _

"_You're mine forever now," Michael said, as he kissed her. She smiled into it._

* * *

><p>"No romantic speech," Callen asked.<p>

"Not into that, just give it to me straight," Nikki answered. Callen smiled. He actually thought that was kind of a nice proposal, and then he looked at her finger, she didn't have any rings on. He knew Hetty, she wouldn't forget a detail.

He looked at the keychain, thinking maybe it would give him some answers, and sure enough they did. There was a note on them. It read:

_Look in the glove compartment._

He opened the glove compartment to find three rings. Two wedding bands and a 950 Platinum Concave Split Band Solitaire Engagement Ring.

"Hetty must know you well, she gave you the exact same ring, that you described in the proposal," Callen said handing Nikki the rings. She smiled at them.

"Well, she is my grandmother after all," Nikki said turning into Camp Pendleton. Deeks, Sam and Nate following her from behind.

"Here we go," Callen heard her mutter.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Alright everyone, there is the beginning of the Operation. I can't wait to see what you all think, and like I said before, if it seems rushed it was, I wrote this in Writer's Craft and I liked it, so I didn't want to change anything.**

**xo**


	9. Chapter 9: Something Went Right

**A/N: I've been trying to write this chapter for awhile, but every attempt that came out worst than the last. And as my readers, you only deserve the best of what is written by me. **

**The beginning may be a little confusing, see as we left off where we did, but PLEASE stick with it.**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Nine: Something Went Right<span>

* * *

><p>Callen sat staring at the wall. He was supposed to protect her. He had promised Tony, that he would, but now. Now Nikki was in surgery. Three bullets in her chest and six stab wounds. The three bullets weren't even for her, they were for him.<p>

He had come "home" to find her lying on the living room floor. She was still breathing, it must have only just happened. He held her hand tightly, as he reached for his phone.

* * *

><p><em>Then there was a creak behind him and Nikki's eyes went wide. Callen pulled out his gun and turned to protect her. There in the doorway was the officer that had greeted them on their way in, almost a month ago.<em>

"_Admiral Travoularis, how nice of you to join us," said the officer pointing his gun at Callen, "how very nice indeed."_

"_What are you doing Marine," Callen said, stalling until back-up could arrive. However the marine did not answer and instead decided to open fire on the two agents._

_Callen kicked the coffee table onto its side to protect Nikki, as he continued to take fire from the crazed Marine. _

_Soon the marine began to get the upper hand on Callen, whose worry for Nikki,, began to take over his instincts. Callen tripped over the ataman, sending his gun flying through the air, landing beside the television cabinet on the other side of the room._

_He stood to retrieve it when the marine shot three more times, straight at him._

_It must have taken all the energy that Nikki had, but she jumped in front of him quickly. She had taken the bullets for him._

_Nikki and Callen both fell to the floor, as Sam, Deeks and Kensi burst through the front door._

* * *

><p>She had been in surgery, since they arrived at the hospital. That had been almost eleven hours ago.<p>

Callen continued to stare at the wall. It was all he knew at the moment. The wall, and the bench that he sat on. In his hands he held Nikki's stuffed panda, that he had given her two weeks into the operation.

"G," Sam said, "you need some rest."

* * *

><p>"No, what I need is to be here, when she gets out of surgery," G said as he stood to pace in front of Sam. Sam sighed, but watched as Callen continued to worry about Nikki.<p>

_Nikki sat on a bench in Benjamin Bannekar Park, watching the children play happily. Couples strolling by hand in hand._

"_Hey Nikki," said a voice from behind her. She turned to see Kate Todd standing behind her. The smile that had once graced Nikki's face was gone and in its place, was now a frown._

"_You're dead," Nikki stated. Kate laughed._

"_Yep."_

"_Am I?"_

"_That's undecided."_

"_Huh?"_

"_You could choose to stay here or you could choose to go back," Kate explained. Nikki nodded._

"_If I decide to stay here?"_

"_You'll pass on, leaving your grandmother to bury someone else that she loves dearly."_

"_And if I go back?"_

"_You'll live on with your life. Get married, have kids." Nikki nodded. The decision was no contest. She couldn't leave Grams to bury another family member, and Callen...Callen had her have only gotten started, she wasn't going to give up that easily. Trying to breathe began to become very difficult, as she felt her chest begin to get tight._

"_Nikki?"_

"_Yeah," Nikki answered, with some difficulty._

"_Don't let him go."_

* * *

><p>Everything was bright when she opened her eyes. Her breathing was still constricted and she began to choke on the breathing tube that was down her throat, which resulted from her panic. She heard Callen call for the doctor.<p>

"Nicole, do you want the tube out?"

She nodded.

"On the count of three, I want you to cough, then you'll be able to breathe on your own," the doctor explained. Nikki nodded her head, showing that she understood, what he wanted her to do. The doctor counted down from three and the tube came out.

"G," she called. He came forward, grabbing her hand. Nikki smiled tiredly at him, as he kissed her hand, glad that she was okay, somewhat okay.

He brought his other hand to her face. She turned her face into it, kissing his palm, as she did.

"I'm so glad, you're alright," G whispered, as he caressed her face.

"So am I. Did we get him," Nikki asked, as she squeezed the hand that she was holding.

"Kensi shot and killed him," Callen answered.

"Way to go Kensi," Nikki tiredly cheered. Her eyes drooping as she spoke.

"Nikki, sleep, I'll be here when you wake," Callen said, pushing her hair out of her face She msiled at him, closing her eyes to get some sleep.

* * *

><p>"She still asleep, G," asked Kensi, as she came in with a cup of coffee for him. He nodded. His eyes not moving from Nikki. Kensi handed him the coffee, which he gladly took.<p>

"Tony and Gibbs are on their way from Washington," Kensi said, as she listened to the monitors beep from all around her.

"No doubt, to kick my ass," Callen answered.

"Kicking your ass probably has a high priority on their list, but she probably has a higher priority," Kensi said, looking at Nikki. She looked vulnerable and weak. It broke her heart to see her best friend like that, desperately holding onto Callen, as if he was her only life line.

"Does Hetty know?"

"She's aware, and is making arrangements for Nikki's care giving when she leaves the hospital and is on sick leave," Kensi stated. Nikki groaned from the hospital, grabbing both agents attention.

"Kensi, Callen, you are not to leave me with her, okay? She'll drive me insane with all her tea drinking, and her knowing everything about anything. Please do not make me suffer more than I already have," Nikki said, as squeezed Callen's hand tighter, than she already was.

"We'll see."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: And that's the end. I know that this is short, but I've been busy and I really have to get past all this. Next chapter...Nikki leaves the hospital and Callen takes her on their first date...plus special appearances by Gibbs and Tony.**


	10. Chapter 10: Feeling Better

**A/N: Hi everyone, it looks like we've finally gotten to Callen and Nikki's first date, which will of course be some time during this chapter.**

**I hope you enjoy it.**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Ten: Feeling Better<span>

* * *

><p><em>Callen opened the door of the modest home. It had begun to rain while Amy and he were at the park. Amy went running inside calling to her mom, leaving her rain coat and boots in a pile on the floor.<em>

_He quickly cleaned it up, before his very pregnant wife saw the mess. Nikki was pregnant with their second child. Amy came running back into the front foyer, her pigtails bouncing as she went._

"_I can't find mommy," Amy said, as she hugged Callen's left leg. He looked upstairs to see that the master bedroom's door was shut. He scooped Amy up into his arms and climbed the stairs to the second floor. He stood in front of the door and knocked quietly before entering._

_There on the bed in her cashmere pyjamas was Nikki fast asleep. Callen smiled at the sight and quietly backed out of the room, letting his wife get some rest._

* * *

><p>Callen woke to see Nikki fast asleep. He smiled. Even in his dream, she looked adorable while she slept. She had her arms wrapped around her stuffed panda.<p>

The door opened behind him. He turned to see Gibbs, a cup of coffee in his hand.

"G," he acknowledges.

"Gibbs," Callen returned.

"How's out girl doing," Gibbs asked, taking a seat in the other chair.

"She's still groggy from all the pain medication they have her on, and she mostly sleeps, but continues to cling to my hand," Callen responded with a smile on his face. Gibbs nodded. Callen was nervous. Neither Tony nor Gibbs were giving him trouble, for not protecting her enough. Neither one of them had even tried to hurt him.

"Alright, just do it already," Callen said looking at Gibbs. Gibbs returned the look.

"Do what?"

"Yell at me for not protecting her enough," Callen responded.

"Callen, it's a part of the job. There is a risk that we can get hurt and Nikki did just that, got hurt, she'll bounce back, she always does" Gibbs offered, hoping that Callen would see that and stop blaming himself.

"But I could have protected her more. If only I got back a few minutes earlier," Callen yelled, pulling his hand from Nikki's and stormed out of the door. Nikki cringed at the loss of the hand, but she did not wake. Gibbs sighed and went after him.

"Callen, where are you going," Gibbs called to him.

"To shoot something," he answered. Callen continued to walk out of the hospital.

Gibbs walked back into the room to see Nikki staring right at him.

"What happened? I heard yelling," Nikki asked, as Gibbs retook his seat. He sighed before taking a sip of his coffee. Nikki looked at him, silently telling him to tell her what the hell happened to cause Callen to leave her bedside.

"He believes that he's the reason why you're lying in that hospital bed," Gibbs explained. Nikki looked at Gibbs and blinked. Did she just honestly hear, what she thinks she heard?

"He blames himself for this," Nikki asked. Gibbs nodded in confirmation.

"Well he should."

"WHAT?"

"Jethro, if it weren't for him, showing up when he did, I would most likely have been dead and not here lying in this very uncomfortable hospital bed right now," Nikki explained. Gibbs sighed. Nikki always did look at the bright side of things. Nikki clung to the panda and began to cry.

"What's wrong," Gibbs asked, seeing the tears.

"I could have lost him," Nikki explained, as she continued to cry into the stuffed animal. Gibbs wiped away her tears.

"Look who I found in the parking lot," said Tony, as he walked into the room. Nikki looked at the door to see Hetty.

"Grams," she said, smiling. Hetty walked forward a smile on her face, glad to see that her granddaughter was awake and looking much better, than she did the day before.

"How are you my dear," Hetty asked.

"Better than I was," Nikki answered, as she grabbed Hetty's hand with her own. Her Grams may drive her crazy, but she wouldn't have her any other way because everything that drove her crazy were the things that she loved most about her Grams.

"I have some news," Hetty said, as she held onto her granddaughter's hand.

"I can go home early," Nikki guessed eagerly, causing everyone to laugh. They all knew how much Nikki hated hospitals.

"No my dear, you're still here until at least Friday," Hetty said, laughing at Nikki's reaction.

"But when you do get to go home, your doctor's have agreed to let Mr. Callen take care of you," Hetty announced. Nikki smiled.

"Really?" Hetty nodded, which resulted in Nikki squealing. Hetty laughed at her granddaughter.

It was then that Callen re-entered the room to see Nikki smiling brightly at Hetty. He had relieved some of the tension in his body by shooting a couple of things, but he knew that he needed to return in case Nikki needed him. But the guilt inside him kept growing. Callen did indeed believe that he was the one who put Nikki in that hospital bed.

"Callen," called Nikki. Callen looked at Nikki to see her looking at him very seriously. Tony, Gibbs and Hetty looked between the two of them and began to leave the room. Nikki beckoned him closer to her.

"What's wrong," Nikki asked, Callen sighed.

"It's my fault," Callen answered.

"What's your fault?"

"You lying in that bed," Callen answered, lowering his head as if in shame.

"G, listen to me carefully, yes it is your fault, because without you coming in when you did, I would have been dead," Nikki said, placing her hand on his cheek. He kissed her palm. She smiled at him.

"I just can't lose you Nikki, I've only known you a month, but-"

"G, don't worry, I can't lose you either," Nikki replied, cutting Callen off.

Callen stood from his seat, and leaned over Nikki, capturing her lips in a searing kiss. Nikki's hands went from on top of the bed sheets to around his neck. Callen was so intoxicating for her. She absolutely couldn't live without kissing this man.

* * *

><p>"I'm going to take you out tonight," Callen said, as he helped Nikki into his car two days later.<p>

"Really? Where?"

"That's the surprise," Callen hushed, as he shut the door. Nikki pouted at him, hoping that Callen would tell her, when he got back in the car. Instead however he leaned over to Nikki and kissed her. She graciously accepted it.

* * *

><p>Later that night Callen and Nikki were sitting on the beach watching the waves roll in and out. Nikki was wearing a white spaghetti strap dress and Callen's jacket.<p>

"Warmer?"

"Much. Thanks," answered Nikki, leaning into Callen's arms. He kissed her head and continued to watch as the oranges, yellows and reds began to fade to black as the sun set. The sand was soft beneath their toes. Nikki was mesmerized by the colours. She had seen other sunsets, but none of them could compare to this one and its beauty.

It was a relaxing first date. Callen had take Nikki out for ice cream on the beach to watch the sunset. She liked those kinds of dates, it wasn't trying too hard, but it also wasn't not trying, it was right in the middle.

"Afterwards, we could go back to your place and watch a movie," Callen whispered in her ear. She smiled up at him.

"If I didn't know better, I would think that you were trying to seduce me G," Nikki replied.

"Nope, scouts honour."

"You didn't tell me you were a scout," Nikki said leaning her head against his shoulder.

"That's because I wasn't," Callen replied. Nikki slapped his shoulder. The sun continued to set as they looked on.

"We could go back to my apartment, if you pinkie promise me that you'll behave yourself, because you know full well that I can't sleep with you, even if I wanted to, which you know I do," Nikki said looking up at him, holding out her pinkie. He smiled at her.

"When you're all better and the time is right, we will," Callen replied, linking his pinkie with hers.

Nikki leaned forward allowing Callen to get up. He stood and then turned to help Nikki up.

The two walked back to Callen's car. Nikki had Callen's arm securely wrapped around her waist, as she held her shoes in her hand, enjoying the feel of the sand beneath their feet.

* * *

><p>"Choose a movie to watch, I'll get us some popcorn," Nikki said as they walked into her house. Callen nodded and walked over to the DVD rack that Deeks had knocked down, the first time he was here.<p>

The smell of freshly popped popcorn began to fill the air, as Callen searched for a movie to watch. Nikki had an extensive movie collection, but at the very end of the last shelf, he saw the old worn out case of Practical Magic starring Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock.

He picked it off the shelf and put it in the DVD player.

* * *

><p>The movie was almost over, the popcorn was gone and Callen and Nikki had fallen asleep in each other's arms to the sound of Sandra Bullock's voice.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I hoped you all enjoyed that. I sure did enjoy writing this chapter and if I had to say, I would say that this is my best chapter yet. **

**Stay tuned for Chapter 11, I have some exciting tricks up my sleeve.**

**xo**


	11. Chapter 11: What?

**A/N: Wow, so it's been awhile since I've last updated. I've been meaning to, but school got really hectic and it doesn't help that my English teacher is a scatterbrained idiot, who does not know how to do her job.**

**Anyways enjoy!**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Eleven: What?<span>

* * *

><p>The couple woke to the sound of Nikki's phone ringing in the kitchen. They jumped at the sound of Glee's rendition of <span>Hate on Me<span>. Nikki ran as quickly as she could to answer it.

"Hi, Grams….No, I was fast asleep….Yeah, he's here."

Callen looked up at the mention of himself.

"Yeah, I remember…Wait, can you say that again," Nikki said, as she left the room. Callen looked at the clock. It was 10 o'clock. Hetty had called Nikki at 10 o'clock in the morning. What is she crazy? Nikki is on medical leave and needs her rest, meaning no one calling before at least noon.

"No. Grams, you can't…..Yeah I won't, but…..Fuck…..Yeah, yeah, bye." Callen heard Nikki throw her phone at the wall, to most likely vent any frustration that she gained by speaking to Hetty.

"G, can you come here and help me up," Nikki asked from the other room.

"Yeah, sure," Callen answered. He walked into the room to see her sitting against the wall, her phone on the other side of the room.

"What ya doin' down there," Callen asked, as he lifted her into a bridal carry. She laughed, as he carried her into the kitchen. She caressed his face, as he sat down on one of her kitchen table chairs. He smiled at her, as he wrapped his arms around her waist, being careful of her injuries.

Nikki kissed him, as he played with her hair. Callen loved the feel of her lips on his. He loves the way she fit perfectly into his arms and especially the way Nikki felt against him. He loved her laugh and the way she was always there for others, no matter the time of day. He cared about her a lot.

The doorbell rang, causing Nikki and Callen to groan at the thought of being interrupted once more and losing their alone time together.

Nikki stood, getting up from his lap. She kissed his forehead, before going to answer the door.

* * *

><p>She opened the door to see Sam, standing there, leaning against the frame of the door.<p>

"Hi Sam," Nikki greeted, before stepping aside to let him in. He took off his shoes, as she walked into the kitchen and returned to her seat on Callen's lap. Sam laughed as he watched the two of them interact.

"So what has you here, Sam I am," Nikki asked, as she sipped at the water that Callen had gotten for her, while she had gone to answer the door. Sam chuckled at the nickname, that she had given him, while she was in the hospital.

"Hetty needs you both at OPS and no I do not like green eggs and ham," Sam answered. Callen looked at him quizzically, while Nikki just laughed. But then something dawned on her.

"Grams wants us at OPS?"

"Yeah," Sam answered, giving her a look that clearly stated that 'I had just said that, don't make me say it again.' Nikki got up from Callen's lap.

"Hmm," she said, walking out of the room. Both of them watching her as she went.

"So I see, she's still in the dress that she wore last night for your date," Sam said, as he turned back to look at Callen.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Mhmm, sure you don't…"

"How'd you know?"

"Kens, she took pictures, while Nikki was getting ready and when she was finished.""Okay, Grams spit it out, what's going on?"

* * *

><p>"<em>You are well aware of what is going on, Nicole.<em>"

"No, I don't Grams, why don't you just come out and say it."

"_You know that mission I went on, it was just after your fifteenth birthday?_"

"Yeah….in tell on that feud between families in Prague."

"_It seems that I did not finish what I was meant to do, the last time I was here._"

"WHAT," Nikki screamed. She was well aware of whom the Camescues were after, and she couldn't lose him.

"_We didn't have the right information, and now we have some new info especially for you and me._"

"How did you find out?"

"_Beck Halfendale, worked for them, Nicole._" Nikki dropped the phone at hearing Beck's name.

"I was his way of getting the info that he needed, wasn't I?"

"_You were and I thank God, everyday that I did not lose you,_" Hetty answered her. Nikki collapsed onto her bed. Her breathing becoming hoarse and scarce as she tried to keep herself calm.

"_Nicole, calm down. You need to keep yourself calm,_" Hetty said; as she listened to Nikki begin to freak out.

"How can I keep calm, when several people will begin to put two and two together, figure out that I am linked to his one weakness? How am I going to live my life with people that are supposed to be my family, coming after me and the guy I care about constantly trying to kill us?"

"_They won't keep coming after the two of you, Nicole. Not if I have anything to say about it._"

"No. Not if I have anything to say about it. I'm leaving and going into hiding and taking G with me."

"_No, Nicole._"

"Why not?"

"_They'll need you._"

* * *

><p>Sam, Nikki and Callen walked into OPS, seeing Director Vance on the big screen.<p>

"Agents Hanna, Daniels and Callen. Nice of you to join us," said the director once he saw them. Eric, Nell, Kensi, Deeks, and ate were all sitting there waiting for Director Vance to explain everything.

"Well now that _everyone_ is here, I'll tell you now. Hetty has gone off grid. We believe that it is due to connections to a case that she had 12 years ago. No one has been in contact with her since yesterday morning, when Agent Daniels left the hospital with Agent Callen. Nicole you're in charge now. Good Luck." And with that he cut off the call. Everyone turned to look at Nikki, whom looked as if she had gone into shock or was ready to pass out.

"Why didn't-"Callen began, but Nikki stomped on his foot, before he could finish his question. She took out her phone and called Hetty's cell phone.

"_Sorry, but this number is out of-_"Nikki hung up and continued to dial another number.

"_Sorry, but this_-" She hung up the phone and continued to call her deceased grandfather's cell phone number, that Hetty kept on her and kept the cell company from turning it off. She leaned against the wall.

"_The number you have dialled_-"Nikki hung up the phone and slid to the floor, slamming her cell phone on the floor. Callen went to gather her into his arms, but Nikki pushed him away from her and left OPS.

Callen watched her leave; an unreadable expression on his face. Kensi came up behind him, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Leave her, she needs time to think and calm down.

* * *

><p>Nikki entered Hetty's office and sat at her desk. Closing her eyes, she tried to keep the tears from falling again. Her grandfather, her grandparents, her mother, her father and now Grams; they all left her. She closed her eyes again, when she remembered the look on Callen's face, when she pushed him away. She wondered why Grams could do this to her? She opened the drawer beside her in search of Kleenex, but instead she found a letter addressed to her in Hetty's hand. She quickly opened it.<p>

* * *

><p><em>Nicole Bridgette Daniels.<em>

_I want you to burn this after you finish reading it. Nicole, neither one of us want to nor can risk anyone else knowing what is in this letter. Especially Callen, Nicole, he is not ready for this kind of information. I mean it, Nicole, burn it._

_I know you must be feeling as if you're alone right now, now that I am gone, but my darling it is not true. You have an amazing best friend in Kensi, whom is no doubt giving you, your privacy to calm down. She knows you well my dear, Malenkaya. You have a protector in Sam, that'll most likely get hurt protecting the ones he loves. You have a court jester in Deeks, whom will always keep you laughing. You also have Eric, Nell, Nate, Jethro, Ziva, Abby and Tony. _

_I also know that you have found a love in G. Yes I do know about that. I am going to tell you this Nicole, if and when he does propose to you (don't doubt me, you know I know everything that has happened and will happen), I don't want you to think, I want you to go with whatever your heart tells you to do. _

_Yes, Nicole, I am safe, after all I am in search of family, but please do not and I repeat DO NOT try to find me. I can deal with this on my own. If you need me use our secret way._

_Love always,_

_Grams_

* * *

><p>Nikki looked up from the letter. Folding it up, she stuffed it back into the envelope and went back to her desk in the bullpen. Callen watched as she stuffed the letter in her purse.<p>

She turned to leave, but stopped behind him. He closed his eyes, as she wrapped her arms around him from behind. Nikki kissed Callen's cheek.

"I'm sorry," Nikki whispered in his ear, before she unwrapped her arms from around Callen. She walked away. Callen watched as she was leaving, until she was almost gone from his sight. He got up and followed her.

Sam and Deeks watched as Callen followed Nikki.

"Where's he going?"

"To tell her, he loves her."

* * *

><p>Callen grabbed Nikki from behind and pushed her against the wall, still cautious of her injuries, and fused his lips to her. Nikki wrapped her arms around his neck, moaning at the passion she felt in the kiss. Callen had her pinned to the wall as he kissed her.<p>

Air had become extremely necessary, so they were forced to let go of one another.

"Wow!

Nikki and Callen looked away from each other to look at Eric. He looked from Nikki to Callen and back again. He looked extremely confused at what he had just seen, but then Nell came up from behind him. She smiled at Nikki then Callen, she put her hands on Eric's shoulders, turned him around and steered him back to OPS.

"We'll leave you two to talk," Nell shouted back to them. Callen looked back at Nikki, and then looked at the floor, shuffling his feet. He reminded Nikki of a little boy that just got in trouble at school by a teacher. She grabbed his head and forced Callen to look at her.

"Hi."

"Hi," he replied, licking his lips. Nikki watched as he did.

"What was that about," she asked him, as she leaned into him. Callen wrapped his arms around her waist.

"I was just so angry, but I knew you're going through everything I am; only about ten times worse, seeing as she is your grandmother. I just wanted you to know that someone is here for you, and he always will be," Callen answered, before he kissed the crown of Nikki's head. She smiled.

"I know you're still here. Grams told me you would be, but I lost sight of that for just a moment when I found out that she left me without even a goodbye." Callen nodded. He was hurt about that too. He thought that they were closer than that. He thought…

"Why didn't you tell Director Vance that you spoke to her," Callen asked, as the two of them walked back into the bullpen.

"You really want to get me in trouble. She's gone off grid, if anything I should be minimizing my contact with her and anyone involved in the case she's dealing with," Nikki answered, tears forming in her eyes once more. Callen brought her closer to him, kissing her forehead.

"Alright, what's my first mission, Nikki? Whoops, Nicole," Callen joked, as he let go of her. Nikki laughed.

"Carry me home, then join me in a nice relaxing bubble bath with soothing music playing the background," Nikki said with a complete straight face. Callen looked as though, he was thinking about his new "mission." He however looked at her and then turned around, so she could jump onto his back.

"My feet better not touch the ground, until I'm home, mister," Nikki whispered into his ear, sending shivers down his back. He bent his head and kissed her.

* * *

><p>Eric shook his head, as he and Nell entered OPS.<p>

"How long has that been going on," Eric asked. He took a seat, he felt a little light-headed.

"Since the day, she told you about Beck," Nell replied, not thinking. Eric looked at her confused.

"How do you know about that?" Nell looked up at the question, realising what she must have said.

"You must have told me."

"No, I didn't. Nell, how do you know about Beck?"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Alright everyone, that's chapter eleven. I hoped you enjoyed it.**

**Okay, so my exams are coming up very soon, and so is my Prom, so I might not be able to update as soon as I like anymore, but I will update as soon as everything is over and finished. **

**Please review. It'll only get better with feedback.**


	12. Chapter 12: What Did He Do Now?

**A/N: Hi everyone, **

**I am quite aware I have not updated in the last three months, but if you look at it this way, NCIS: LA hasn't been showing any new episodes in the last three months, so my inspiration for Broken On The Inside was lacking extremely, but fortunately I am glad to say I am back and hopefully as strong as ever, with more Nikki and Callen romance and a lot more mystery about the Lang family.**

**So ladies and gentleman…..**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Twelve: What Did He Do Now?<span>

* * *

><p>"Hetty," Sam asked, noticing that her breathing had become labored and she was hardly speaking, something that neither her or her granddaughter did very often. It had been a week since she went missing and Callen had left Nikki in a bath tub all by herself to bring Hetty back home.<p>

Callen turned around and looked at Hetty himself. She seemed weaker, something that was unusual. Hetty was slowly trying to get up, she was putting all her strength into it. She slid to the ground, too weak to stand, her legs giving out from under her small frame.

Sam and Callen ran to her as she fell. She hit the ground. Sam applied pressure to the wound, while Callen held her hand, knowing that if anything ever happened to Hetty, it not only would kill him, but it would completely break Nikki and not only would she lose it, but she might die herself from the news.

"Kensi, call an ambulance," Sam said lifting Hetty best he could to get her out and into the open, so no one would see the dead bodies of the Comescue family and think that was who they needed to save. Kensi pulled out her burn phone and called the emergency number.

"Callen…Callen," whispered Hetty. G looked down at the woman he had grown to show much respect towards.

"Yes, Hetty," Callen said.

"Hold onto her," she whispered, as the ambulance sirens began to blare and it came barrelling down the street.

"Don't say things like, don't say your goodbyes," he snapped at her, letting her go, so that the paramedics could assist her. He pulled out his burn phone and looked up at the sky.

* * *

><p>Nikki stood in her kitchen talking to Tony, who had flown out the moment she had called him, when she found Callen's badge sitting on the coffee table, with no note as to where he had gone, but she guessed it was to find Hetty.<p>

"I can't believe he would do that. Grams is doing everything in her power to keep him from our crazy family and he fucking walks right fucking into it. If they don't kill him, I will, leaving me like that, unaware of what's happening, if he's even alive," she yelled as she paced her kitchen. Tony watched her from the kitchen table, sipping his coffee.

"I swear, if I find out he dead, family or not, they will suffer my wrath and then I would like to see what happens. They won't be able to pull the fucking trigger. Not on their sweet Nikolaevna. Please I won't be so sweet anymore, if I find out that-"

The sound of her cell phone ringing cut her off.

"_Yes, you'll get slapped if you're lookin' ho. I said 'cuse me, you're a hell of a guy, I mean m-m-my you're like pelican fly. I mean you're so shy and I'm lovin' your tie…_"

"Hello," Nikki said.

"Nikki," said a male voice on the other end.

"G," she breathed. Tony smiled. His ears and begun to hurt with all the ranting that Nikki had done in the last week about Callen leaving, when that guy gets back, he will have to suffer the wrath of Tony Dinozzo, for making him go through that, but that would have to be after Nikki kills him herself.

"Hi," G said again. It seemed that he was having trouble breaking the news to Nikki. Her grandmother had just been shot by a family

"Please tell me that-"

"Nikki, there's no easy way to-"

"G, what happened," Nikki said, after he interrupted her. She heard Callen take a deep breath. She prayed that no had been killed. She had hoped that no one was seriously hurt.

"Nikki, its Hetty."

Nicole dropped the phone, as soon as she heard Callen say her grandmother's name. Tony looked at her and saw the tears in her eyes and he knew immediately that something must have happened. He had no idea what, but he picked up the phone and lead Nikki over to the couch where he sat her down, and rubbed her back, as she sobbed into her hands, for what she thought was the loss of her grandmother.

"Callen, what happened," Tony said, as he kissed Nikki's forehead. Callen took a deep breath again, trying to keep back the tears that he knew were forming in his own eyes.

"She was shot. Alexa Comescue shot her. She's not dead, but the paramedics are saying that it doesn't look good and we can't get our hopes up that she'll pull out of this; she lost a lot of blood, before we even knew that she had been shot, I think Nikki needs to fly out to Romania immediately she needs to be here just in case. Neither of us need her regretting not being here, if…" Callen said before trailing off not wanting to say what might happen. Tony agreed with him, and told Nikki to go and pack her bags. She nodded silently and ran up the stairs to her bedroom, to pack anything that she may need.

"How is she doing," Tony asked, as he watched her walk up the stairs, bursting into tears at the sight of a picture of her and Hetty on the landing.

"Honestly Dinozzo, I'm not sure," Callen said hanging up. Tony heard a strangled cry from Nikki's room. He ran up the stairs to see her, on the floor sobbing her heart out. No one had actually told her that was Hetty was still alive, they didn't want to get her hopes up just in case Hetty didn't pull through and ended up dying from her injury. Tony didn't see Nikki, as the girl that thinks she lost her last living family member, but the girl he knew 8 years ago, after her nightmares began. She was the lost little Navy Brat that had everything stolen from her again and he wanted to hurt whoever hurt his little sister, but in this case they were all the way over in Romania and the guy that his little sister loved was over there.

"Tony, why," Nikki sobbed, as he pulled her into his chest, so she could shed her tears.

"Why what, Nikki," he asked.

"Why would she leave me," she asked quietly, as a sob escaped her lips. Tony put his finger under her chin and lifted her head to look at him. Once again he saw the same look in her eyes that he saw 8 years ago.

"She didn't leave you, she'll never leave you willingly. Right now she's with the Romanian paramedics, but Nik, it doesn't look good, please don't get your hopes up," Tony said, lifting her to her feet, "now lets pack and get you to your Grams." Nikki laughed at him, giving him a small smile for making her feel a little better.

* * *

><p>The plane ride from Los Angeles passed by uneventful. Tony and Nikki played old maid, poker (Tony winning 50 dollars of Nikki and her winning that and triple the amount back), black jack and crazy eights, and Tony mostly lost, but other than that, their plane ride had gone uneventful. As did the drive from the airport to the hospital, absolutely nothing had happened, except for Nikki's constant ringing of her hands, but other than that, she kept rather calm, praying that her grandmother would be okay, but she knew that she couldn't get her hopes up, cause she knew that it would only hurt more if Grams didn't make it through this. She knew that she would take nothing but a downward spiral and she didn't need that. She needed to be in good health.<p>

* * *

><p>"G, what are you going to tell Nikki, when she gets here," Kensi asked.<p>

"Everything we know, she deserves to know everything," he answered, starring at the wall. Kensi looked at him.

"She'll want to burn the fucking house down, with the coroners in it. You are aware of that right," Kensi asked him. He just shrugged like he didn't care. He felt like he didn't care either. These were the people that killed his family. He could care less about what happened to them. He heard the familiar clacking of Nikki in her heels and he turned toward the double doors that stood at the end of the hall. Nikki flew into his arms, and hugged him as tight as she could with everything she felt. Callen returned the hug, kissing her softly on the head, as he held her tightly to him. She released her grasp on him, causing him to loosen his on her. She took a step away from him, and then slapped him across the face.

"That was for leaving me alone at home, and not telling me, where you were going," she snapped, and then she smacked him on the shoulder.

"That was for calling me only after when something bad happened," she snapped again, she went in to hit him again, but this time, she wrapped both of her arms around his neck and kissed him hard on the lips. Callen surprised at the sudden kiss, took sometime to respond, but he eventually put everything that he felt for Nikki into it. She smiled as he ran his tongue along her bottom lip, allowing him entrance. She moaned as he pulled her tighter to him. The group around them smiled, and chucked while Tony looked at the couple in disgust, covering his eyes, as he walked by them to sit with the rest of them team. Callen and Nikki pulled out of their kiss, smiling at one another.

"And what was that for," Callen asked sitting down on the bench, pulling her into the lap.

"That was because I missed you," she said snuggling into his chest, but then she remembered why she was there, and jumped up and ran over to the nurses station and began rambling to her in Romanian shocking the entire team.

* * *

><p>She showed the woman the tattoo, that was on her arm discreetly. The nurse shocked looked into Nikki's eyes and all she saw was determination. She gave her a visitor's family pass for her and Callen.<p>

Nikki pulled down her sleeve and walked back to the team. She felt absolutely sick with guilt about doing that. She hated her family, and she knew her grandmother did as well.

She walked up to the group and handed Callen his badge, he looked up at her.

"I was able to get a second one, and I want you there with me, when I go see her, because I know I won't be able to take it by myself," she said nodding toward the door. Callen got up and grabbed her hand, lending her any strength that he had that she would need. She had only gotten out of the hospital when Hetty left and not even a week later, she was back in one, visiting her grandmother who had taken the bullet this time. The couple walked to Hetty's room in silence. Callen remembered the flashes that had happened when they had entered the Comescue house, but then he remembered when he saw a picture. It was very similar to that of a picture he had seen in Nikki's living room. He grabbed her shoulder and pushed her against the wall.

"G, what are you doing," she asked, surprised by his motion.

"Are you part of the Comescue family," he asked, he looked extremely angry. She swallowed.

"How'd you know?"

"I saw a picture of you and Hetty in the house, I didn't remember until now," Callen answered, letting her off the wall. He turned and punched the wall. She winced as his hand connected with the wall.

"And when were you going to tell me, that you are part of the family that killed mine," he screamed, causing the team to hear them. They knew they couldn't open the doors and decided that they would just watch from the window on the doors. Nikki took deep breaths to calm down. She had been reminded of Beck, when Callen punched the wall and she was trying to repress the memories of what happened afterward as Callen began to pace the width of the hall, waiting for her answer.

"I was going to tell you when you got back, I knew you had gone after her, and I knew that she would be with them trying to-" she paused. Nikki had no idea how much Callen actually knew about the Comescues.

"She was trying to what Nicole," Callen asked. His voice sounding dangerously close to yelling. Nikki winced at the sound of her full first name coming out his mouth.

"Save you," she whispered loud enough for him to hear. He looked at her shocked. His features went from anger to surprise to sadness. He looked Nikki in the eyes and he saw nothing, but fear. She was afraid of him. He never wanted to scare her, he wanted to protect her. He went to grab her, but she stepped away from him.

"I'm sorry, Nik," he said, he looked her right in the eyes. She saw how sincere he was, but still the flashbacks of what happened that week she was held captive by Beck, scared her. A part of her knew that Callenw ould never do something like that. He would never hurt her the way he did. Callen would protect her. But another part of her just saw Beck, when she sees him angry and her mother always told her that if you can handle a man when he's angry or drunk then you can handle him any other time. She hadn't seen Callen when he was drunk, but she saw him angry and normally she would be able to take something like this, but Beck was still fresh in her mind, because he was hired to get to her. She started to breath in and out very quickly. She knew she was having a panic attack, but she had no idea how to stop it. Her grandmother was in the hospital and she could possibly lose her and now she was afraid of the guy that had sworn to protect her no matter what.

He recognized the fact that she was having a panic attack and he lead her to a chair that stood outside one of the hospital rooms. She followed him and sat down and began to hum Musical Soulmate to herself. She began to calm down and then she looked up to Callen confused.

"Have you been standing there the whole time?"

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**** I know I am a total bitch for not updating all summer. I know you all want to skin me alive for not letting you have a Nikki Callen fix, but I have a good reason…..nope, that's not good enough.**

**WAIT! I know, I got a new job and I had to make a good impression and for the above reason in the first Author's Note.**

**Keep reading and I promise that I will update more often. I PROMISE!**


	13. Chapter 13: I Need Some Time

**A/N: I know you guys are enjoying this, and things are finally calming down for me to write, so I hope I'll be able to update more often, but as long as you all keep reading, I'll keep updating and I promise we'll never have to worry about a long hiatus like that again until the end of this season and then until I finish this story, but for what I have planned so far, I don't honestly think that'll be for awhile, plus as long as Chris O'Donnell is on the show, I don't think I'll ever give up on it.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Thirteen: I Need Some Time<span>

* * *

><p>Nikki looked up at Callen, and she looked completely confused. All she could remember was that she was back in the basement of the Lang Cottage and Beck was standing in front of her and he was yelling at her about something that she had done wrong and then as she took a deep breath and she was sat down in the chair, everything seemed to clear up. She was back in the hospital hallway with Callen and she remembered that he was yelling at her because he had just found out about her being part of the Comescue family.<p>

Callen looked down at her. He got down on his knees and placed his hands on hers. She looked at him with sorrow in her eyes, she looked ready to cry. She wanted so badly to keep him safe, but he walked right into the fire that was the feud between their families.

"Nikki, are you okay," he asked, looking at her worriedly. She shook her head and lowered her head, beginning to cry into her hands. Callen looked at her and raised his head to the sky. He lifted her into a bridal carry and carried her back out the doors and into the waiting area that was now vacant because the team was getting coffee in the cafeteria allowing the couple some privacy.

"Nikki, talk to me," Callen said, as he wrapped her in his arms and kissed her forehead, trying to calm her down.

"I see him, G, everytime I know I'm getting passed it. Everything I tried to suppress back then comes to the surface, I don't know if it's guilt-"

"Why would it be guilt Nik," Callen asked, rubbing her back up and down. She looked up at him, tears still in her eyes. She looked so small.

"If I hadn't broken off the engagement-"

"Nikki, were you happy with him?"

"At the time that I broke it off, no," Nikki answered.

"Did you love him?"

"No."

"Would you have had an affair, after you married him, because you were unhappy?"

"Most likely."

"Then stop this bullshit about being guilty, Nikki, he took it too far, he should have just taken the rejection and let it go-"

"Callen, there's more." Callen looked at Nikki blankly. She looked up at him with tears in her eyes.

"He was hired by the Comescue family to get to you through me-"

"We didn't even know each other when that happened-"

"But you knew my grandmother and that was enough for them. Grams was your boss, and they knew that if anything would happen to me, she would send her best agents to keep me safe, and if you came, Beck was to kill you, and that would the end of your family line, since your parents predeceased you and your sister-" she stopped upon seeing the look on his face. She knew he was hurting as much as she was and she knew they were a couple of broken people, that could fix each other. She leaned up and kissed him.

"We're quite the couple aren't we," Callen joked.

"A regular Romeo and Juliet," Nikki replied giggling. She snuggled into Callen's chest and she looked at the hospital hallway that surrounded them. She knew that the Comescues had tried to kill him, she could tell by the way that he had hugged her when she had run into his arms the first time. She pulled away from him and looked up at him.

"What happened at the beach house, G," Nikki asked quietly. He hugged her tighter.

"We walked in, and we just went into kill mode, anyone in our path that raised a gun, wasn't given the chance to put it down, we just shot them in cold blood," he said.

"It's good that you did, cause if you gave them the chance, they would have killed you," she said quietly, but she wanted him to continue. He nodded.

"We just kept shooting until we ended up in the backroom with-"

"Aunt Alexa and Grams," she said. Callen cringed when she called Alexa her aunt. He not only killed an entire family in one go, but he killed Nikki's family. Nikki felt him retract from her and she knew this would be the moment that she would usually begin to pull away as well, and then the relationship would go down in flames, but then she remembered Kate's words and her Gram's words. "_Listen to your heart…Never let him go_." She smiled and she looked up. He looked down at her and noticed the way she was looking at him, it wasn't in disgust at him killing her family, but with love and happiness.

"What happened when you were in the room with Aunt Alexa and Grams," she asked, holding onto him tighter. He began rubbing her back and kissed her head.

"Alexa pulled a gun on me, I think she knew who I was, and I trained my gun on her and I gave her the chance to put the gun down," Callen said. Nikki squeezed him tighter, she couldn't believe that her Aunt Alexa, had almost been able to kill him. He rubbed her back to ensure her that he was still there.

"She didn't and started spouting some bullshit about how you were an ungreatful bitch. I'm pretty sure that Hetty didn't like that, but anyway, she was about to pull the trigger when Kensi, came up behind me, and Alexa looked at her in surprise-"

"Kensi had met Aunt Alexa, about three years ago, I had to come here, to look at a bank account that my grandfather had left for me, and she came with me, and we met up with Aunt Alexa, at the bank. She must have recognized her, and knew that she and I were friends, so she obviously knew that you and I were together, which explains this ungrateful bitch comments she said about me," Nikki said, as she leaned forward. Callen grasped her tighter, so she couldn't get back up off his lap. She smiled at him and leaned back into him.

"Nikki, do you know what happened to my family," Callen whispered. She looked at him, a frown on her face. Grams had never mentioned anything about the Callens and any other Comescue that you asked, there were words used that a child should never hear, better yet they should never be said in the presence of someone you loved or in a hospital at all.

"No, she didn't," she said.

"Do the Comescues even know my first name," Callen asked. Nikki looked at him again, and shook her head. Callen looked devastated.

"You're not holding any information out on me, are you, Nik?"

"I would never do that to you G, Grams however, would keep things from both of us," Nikki said, as she put her hand on his chest. He looked down at the girl in his arms and knew that no matter what he needed to be there for her, as long as she was there for him. There was a cough beside them and they turned to see Tony and Sam looking at them. They had come to make sure that everything was okay between the couple, due to the yelling that they had heard earlier before they decided to go for coffee. Nikki looked at Tony, and saw that he was quietly seething at the fact that Callen had yelled at her. She looked back at Callen, when she felt his gaze on her.

"I need to talk to him, G, before he decides to kill you," Nikki whispered in his ear. Callen squeezed her one last time, and then let her go, allowed her to get up and talk to the man who was like a big brother to her. Sam took a seat beside him and just looked at the wall.

"Say it Sam," Callen sighed.

"You yelled at her," Sam said.

"I was pissed off, that she didn't tell me, that she was part of the family that fucking killed my family, Sam," Callen snapped at his partner. Sam looked at him.

"That's not why you're pissed off at her, G," Sam said. Callen looked at his partner out of the corner of his eye.

"You're mad, because something could have happened to you and even though it wasn't her fault that she wasn't here, and it was yours, you blame her, because if you had died, she wouldn't have been there holding your hand in your last moments, like you would want her too, and she would've had to hear about your death from Hetty and you know that it would've killed her and she would have done something drastic, so you yelled at her, even though that it was your fault that you put yourself in that situation and could have died on her, so instead of blaming your stupid self, you blame her," Sam said, giving Callen a headache. Callen looked at his partner and was eerily reminded of Nate.

"Sam," Callen said.

"Yeah?"

"Never go all Nate on me again. I am NOT one of your lab rats."

* * *

><p>"Are you okay," asked Tony. Nikki nodded, hugging herself. She knows that Tony hates it when she gets like that, but she can't help, but feel guilty. She felt guilty about how Callen yelled at her, for something that she knew she should have told him. She felt guilty that Callen was now going to be on Tony's bad side because she had neglected to tell him something that could have kept him from going after Grams and she knew that she would feel even more guilty, if something had happened to him and he had gotten hurt or worse killed. She cared about him deeply. She had no idea what to do, but she kept zoning Tony out as he kept talking, she was watching Callen's body language while he and Sam spoke.<p>

"Nikki, are you even listening to me," Tony asked. Nikki looked at the guy that was like the big brother she never had, the person that had saved her from the evil that she sometimes relives in her nightmares, but at that moment when she looked at him, she saw neither. She saw a huge pain in her ass, that had acted more like her mother or her father, bless their souls, but at that moment, she didn't want them. She wanted the guy that put his life on the line day in and day out to protect the people he loved, the guy she could just bum around in sweats with and eat a pizza, without having him look at her like she was insane, the guy that she could call in the middle night to be reassured after a nightmare. But this guy, she didn't want this guy. This was the kind of guy she would call Gibbs for.

"Tony! STOP," Nikki yelled. Everyone that was in that hall looked at her. She took a deep breath.

"You are acting like my father and right now I don't need a father and even if I wanted my dad, I wouldn't call you, I'd call Gibbs. I need the guy that saved me eight years ago, to tell me that G, wasn't Beck, that he would never hurt me like Beck did. I need the guy that is like the big brother I never had. I don't need the berating. I don't need you repeating what my mother said every single time I went out on a date. I need you to give me a hug, that makes me feel safe again, so I'm not wrapping my arms around myself, trying to keep the feel of Beck's hands coming back to my mind. I need the guy that I was there for when Kate died or when Jeanne left you cause she thinks you played her like a fool or when Ziva left with Rivkin-"

"Don't bring them into this," Tony growled, surprising Callen and Sam.

"Too painful for you Tony, well deal with it, cause this is painful for me, and you're not helping at all, so why the hell should I help you," Nikki spat back. Tony looked murderous, just glaring at Nikki, but then his eyes became downcast, as he realized what he had been doing the entire time they had been in Romania. He had done nothing but berate her, like Gibbs would have done. Now, it did not exactly excuse her for bringing up Kate, Jeanne and Ziva. He loved Nikki, she was the sister he never really had.

"I'm sorry," he whispered as he grabbed her around the shoulders and hugged her the way he did, after he found her the first time, crying about Beck. Nikki sobbed into his shoulders, which made Callen clench his jaw. He was jealous of the relationship that Tony and Nikki had, where she could tell him anything and he, her. Tony continued to rub her back, as she cried. Cried for everything she had lost eight years ago.

"Have you spoken to Nate," Tony asked.

"It doesn't help, it just makes it worse, it makes me relive it," Nikki whispered back, "Tony, I can't relive it anymore, I just…just want the pain to go away. Please make it go away," Nikki begged, breaking Tony's heart, as he held her as she cried. He looked at Callen over her shoulder, and saw that he seemed just as broken as she was. He didn't like it, but she was right, he was more of a big brother to her, than a father. He can't just act like one. He soothed her, the best that he could, before he motioned for Callen to take her from him.

"Shh, it's okay I got you," Callen whispered in Nikki's ear, as he took her from Tony and gathered her in his arms.

"I'm so sorry, that I didn't tell you," she sobbed into his chest, tears falling down her cheeks and soaking his chest. He looked down at her brushing her hair out of her face and kissing her forehead.

"It's okay, don't worry about it," Callen whispered back, as he rubbed her back, trying to sooth her, the best he could.

* * *

><p>Callen took Nikki to a motel, which was five minutes away from the hospital just in case something happened. Here eyes were still puffy from all the crying she had done, and she had barely strung two words together since they had left. He carried her into their room ad placed her on the bed, he kissed her forehead.<p>

"I'm just going to go take a shower, okay," Callen said, letting go of her. She nodded, but didn't say anything as she watched him enter the bathroom, listening as the water turned on. She laid her head on the pillow and rolled onto her side, watching the curtains dance with the cool breeze. Slowly she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

* * *

><p><em>She opened her eyes and she was back in the basement, and Beck was standing over her.<em>

"_Welcome back, Nicole."_

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I know, I know. I'm torturing them and Callen and Tony would definitely not act like this, but I need something to cause problems between our Nikki and one of our favourite NCIS agents, so that you'll all be happy in the end. I kept my word and I'm going to start trying upload every Friday at least, so that way, it gives me a week to give you all an update and then that way everyone is happy, including my supervisor, who I think, thinks I'm an airhead!**

**Anyways, hoped you enjoyed the chapter.**

**xo**


	14. Chapter 14: I've Tried Everything

**A/N: I'm sorry that I didn't update last week or the week before, but for those of you that are Canadian, you know that it was our Thanksgiving two weekends ago, and my family had flown in from Ottawa on the Friday, so I was unable to update that week, and then my mom's family returned from Greece, so I spent the weekend with them and having a second Thanksgiving weekend, because they missed the actual one. I was a little disappointed at the lack of response during the last chapter, but hopefully we'll be able to get back to cute Callen and Nikki, soon.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Fourteen: I've Tried Everything<span>

* * *

><p><em>She opened her eyes and she was back in the basement, and Beck was standing over her.<em>

"_Welcome back, Nicole."_

_Nikki screamed as she looked in the eyes of the man that tortured her endlessly. Beck began to advance on her, when she began kicking her legs. She was terrified. Her heart was pounding so hard in her chest; she could hear it in her ears. She kept screaming, hoping that maybe, just maybe someone would save her and take her away from this monster that had slowly taken over her entire life. She barely looked at Beck, while he ran his hands up and down her legs, she just kept screaming for help._

_The door above them, slammed open and in ran Deeks, Kensi, Sam and Callen, their guns drawn and aimed at Beck, who also brought out a gun, but instead of pointing the gun at Nikki, he pointed it at Callen, and in a blink of an eye, he shot him. G fell, while Nikki screamed, struggling against her ropes to try and get to him, to save him, but the ropes were getting tighter and tighter the more she struggled._

* * *

><p>Callen stood under the water, while it relaxed him. It hurt him that Nikki was scared of him. He would have never hurt her, and he most definitely would never do what Beck had done to her. He cared deeply about her.<p>

"_Do __I __love __her_," Callen asked himself. He wiped his face with his hand. He had no idea, what it was to love a person, like that. He knew that he had been having dreams about her, where they were married with children, living a quiet life, but was that love? She had the love of her grandmother, the parents she knew most of her life, her grandparents. He barely knew who he was. He had no idea what unconditional love felt like. He knew however that he cared deeply for Nikki, that care went deeper, than the care that he had for Sam, Kensi, Deeks, heck it went deeper than what he felt for Hetty.

He leaned against the shower wall. He had no idea what she was feeling, and at this point he had no idea what Nikki felt. He turned the shower off and wrapped a towel around his waist, walking over to the bathroom mirror, wiping away the fog with his hand. He looked at himself in the mirror, and then he heard Nikki screaming. He quickly pulled on his boxers and pants, and ran out in the room, where he saw Nikki kicking and screaming, while she lay on the bed.

The hotel room door banged open, Sam, Kensi, Tony and Deeks rushing in their guns drawn. Callen held up his arms, while Kensi holstered her gun and rushed to her best friend's side. She pushed held Nikki's hand, while she twisted and turned. Tony walked over to her, glaring at Callen as he did. He pulled Nikki into his arms and began rocking her back and forth humming in her ear, a song that none of them recognized. It slowly calmed her down, enough that she wasn't struggling against Tony and instead sagged against him in her sleep.

* * *

><p><em>Nikki woke up in a hospital bed. She looked around the room. There were balloons everywhere. <em>

"_It's a Girl!" They all said, or they had little angels on them, saying "New Baby!" Nikki was confused. She didn't give birth. She most definitely didn't have a child and then she turned towards the small bassinet that lay beside the bed she was in. Inside was a small human being that was adorable, and when the little girl opened her eyes, Nikki gasped. She recognized those eyes. They were G's eyes. The eyes that she loved, oh, so much. She lay her head back down and looked at the ceiling. The door opened and she looked towards it._

_In walked, Tony. She smiled at him, and he returned it._

"_Amelia's beautiful, Nik," Tony said as he held her hand. She looked towards the tiny creature and smiled. She was beautiful. She looked so much like she did in her baby pictures, but she had Callen's eyes. The eyes that she could stare into until she died. She smiled at Tony, who was looking at the door and in the doorway stood Kate._

"_You're dead," Kate said aloud. Kate laughed and smiled._

"_Yes, Nikki, we've been through this before. Nikki looked at her weirdly, but shrugged anyway._

"_What news from the afterlife do you bring," Nikki asked, brushing her hand through her hair. Kate laughed._

"_Only you Nik, only you." Nikki smiled. _

"_Don't let him go, Nikki, I'm serious."_

* * *

><p>Nikki woke in Tony's arms, as he continued to rock her back and forth. She looked up at him and realized that he felt guilty now more than ever. She knew he thought it would be better to send her back to the motel room with Callen, instead of going with him herself. It scared him to no end that Nikki would return to the shell that she had become after everything that happened.<p>

* * *

><p><em>Tony sat beside the girl that he had just saved. She had her hands on the table in front of her clasped around the cup of coffee that Gibbs had given to her. She has been looking at the same spot on the wall across from her, since they sat her down. Her hair was mattered and her clothes were too big for her, but it was all Gibbs had on short notice. According to Gibbs, this was the infamous granddaughter of Hetty Lang, the acting Supervisor of Undercover Operations in Los Angeles. <em>

"_Nicole," Gibbs called from his kitchen. She didn't even look up, she just winced, when he called her name. Tony frowned. He had been told that this girl was so full of life, but as he looked at her now, he noticed that she was just hugging that coffee closely to her and jumping at every noise that Gibbs made, while "trying" to cook a vegan meal for her. Tony wasn't even sure how Gibbs knew she was a Vegan, but the infamous Gibbs gut has never lead them wrong before. _

"_Nicole," Gibbs said, walking into the kitchen. He placed his hand on her shoulder and suddenly Nikki started to freak out, dropping her coffee to the floor. Gibbs took his hand away from her shoulder and wrapped her in his arms, holding him so closely to her that as she struggled, she kicked him and punched him, but Gibbs made no movement, as he continued to hold her against his chest and finally Nikki stopped struggling against his hold and just slumped into him, sobbing into the crook of his neck. Tony just looked on as the fragile girl, cried and cried until she couldn't anymore and slowly fell asleep, clutching Gibbs' shirt and only letting go, when he laid her down on the couch, to get some sleep._

_Gibbs looked at Tony and motioned him to follow him into the basement. He followed silently and walked down into the basement, where he was handed a glass of bourbon by his boss. Tony looked at him and then took a small sip. He looked around the small basement, which looked much bigger than the last time that he was in it._

"_What happened to the boat, boss," Tony asked, as he sat on the stairs. Gibbs looked at him._

"_Burned it," Gibbs said, like it was the most natural thing in the world._

"_Wh – oh never mind, Diane," Tony said, just as a glass shattering scream, came from the living room. Both men placed their glass haphazardly on the work table and ran up the stairs, to where Nikki was kicking and screaming for help. Tony not even thinking went over to the small tape player, Gibbs had in his living room. He didn't even check to see what tape was in it, or if there was even one in it, but he just hit play. A slowly melody began to play and slowly Nikki began to calm down. Gibbs brushed her hair out of her face and kissed her gently on her forehead. Her breathing went back to normal and Nikki stopped kicking. _

_In the weeks that followed, Nikki hardly ate, drank or spoke and when she did, it was only ever to Kate, who she saw as an ally, when she sat in the bullpen. The only men that were even allowed near her were Tony and Gibbs. If a guy even dared to go near her, she would begin to hyperventilate and quickly run into Gibbs or Tony's arms, whoever was closer and silently cry into their chest._

* * *

><p>"Oh my god," she whimpered. Tony shushed her and continued to rock her back and forth as one would a child. Callen watched silently as Tony rocked Nikki back and forth. Nikki looked up and over to him, and she saw the hurt in his eyes. She quickly pulled herself out of Tony's arms, who watched quietly as she walked over to Callen and wrapped him in her arms, and hugged him close to her. She nuzzled his neck with her nose, and then she hugged him tighter, and then she quickly let him go and promptly left the room. Callen looked bewildered at what had just happened, but before he could even react, Kensi was running out of the room and following her best friend.<p>

Nikki wrapped her arms around herself as she stood on the edge of the water on the beach. She looked out onto the sunset, remembering what her grandfather would say to her whenever she was feeling down.

"_Amintiţi-vă __draga __mea__, __nimeni __nu __poate __face __sa __te __simti __mic__, __nu __chiar __de __familie __şi __dacă __încearcă__, __ele __nu __sunt __în __valoare __de __timpul __tau__, __visele __sau __obiectivele __dumneavoastră__. __Te __iubesc __Malenkaya __mei __dragi __şi __vă __promit __că __nu __voi __opri__.__"__(Remember __my __darling, __no __one __can __make __you __feel __small, __not __even __family __and __if __they __try, __they __are __not __worth __your __time, __your __dreams __or __your __goals. __I __love __you __my __dear __Malenkaya __and __I __promise __you __I'll __never __stop.)_ She never understood what he meant by that if family made you feel small, they were never worth your dreams or goals, when she was older, but now with everything that has happened in the past eight years she realizes what he meant. He meant that if they tried to harm her in anyway, they weren't worth her time, the nightmares they had caused her and stopping her dreams from coming true and her goals from being succeeded. She missed her grandfather dearly, but she constantly felt him near.

Slowly she slipped off her shoes, threw them farther from the water, and let the water flow across her feet. She sighed as the water washed away her pain and let the calm breeze soothe her. She smiled, as she heard the children, laughing and screaming behind her. She felt someone tap her on the shoulder, when she turned, everything went black.

* * *

><p>Kensi returned a little while later, she looked panicked and on the urge of a meltdown. She looked at Tony, and the next words out of her mouth, scared all of them.<p>

"Beck has her."

Callen looked at Kensi, and quickly went to flee the room, hoping that maybe just maybe he could stop Beck and save her, but Tony stepped into his path.

"He already has her Callen, and he's not going to let her go without a fight and the fact that he survived our showdown eight years ago scares me more, but we need to think logically and we need to make sure that every step we take to get her back is thought out thoroughly. We're dealing with a Comescue hired arm, and her and Hetty are considered traitors and Beck will stop at nothing to see them both dead, but his biggest mission is killing you, Callen, and if he succeeds in killing you there is no way we'll ever get Nikki back," Tony said taking control. Callen nodded.

"What do we need to do," Kensi asked, placing a hand on Callen's shoulder, knowing that he would need someone else to ask the questions.

"We need the hospital to tighten up security around Hetty's..." Tony trailed off, as his cell phone began to ring. He took it out of his pocket and looked at the number on the caller-id. It was Nikki's number, she must have taken her cellphone with her, when she left and was now calling him to gether away from Beck. He quickly picked it up.

"Nikki, where-"

"Listen, Dinozzo, if you ever want to see the girl again, you'll listen very carefully to what I have to say," said an eerily calm voice from the other end of the phone. Tony gulped and looked at the ceiling.

"Okay."

"First, I want you to put me on speaker, I know you have some friends with you and I'm pretty sure that you'll just tell them everything." Tony put his cellphone on speaker and held it on in front of him for everyone to hear.

"One: I want to make an exchange," said the voice, as soon as Tony told him that he had put him on speaker.

"Nikki for who?"

"Who else, but her boyfriend, G Callen," said the voice. Callen looked down at his hands. He felt guilty. He was the reason why Nikki was taken, why she was once again in the hands of the monster that ruined her life. Kensi placed a hand once again on his shoulder, he turned to look at her and she shook her head, as if to say that he had no reason to be guilty. It wasn't a matter of he needed Nikki to get Callen, it was whoever he got first between the two of them would be used to trade of for the other and then killed.

"Alright," Tony agreed. The rest of the group looked at him, but he reassured them with his face, that no such trade would ever have to occur, but he had to reassure Beck that it would in order to get Nikki back to them safe and sound.

"And another thing," the voice said before passing, and then they heard a struggle ont he other end of the phone, and then a high pitched scream could be heard, and Tony and Callen were very sure that it had come from Nikki. Beck could be heard laughing as she screamed in agony.

"You try anything, I swear to god Beck, I will make sure that I kill you," Tony snapped. Beck continued to laugh.

"There will be more where that came from if you try anything, I'm serious Dinozzo, I will kill her, and I will make you and her boyfriend watch, if either of you try anything," Beck said calmly, before hanging up. Callen stood and walked over to the wall, punching it with all the strength that he could muster, and then without caring who was going to see him, not caring if they would think less of him, he put his back against the wall and slide down it, tears forming in his eyes, and finally as he put his head in his hands, he began to cry, for the girl, that he finally knew he loved.

* * *

><p><em>Callen was standing on the beach back in Los Angeles where he and Nikki had their first date. He was watching the sunset, his hands in his pocket, when he saw somethign floating in the water. He couldn't tell what it was from where he stood, but as it got closer, he began to make out a shape. It was a human body that was face down in the water. He rushed forward, grabbing it and pulling it towards the beach, hoping that it wasn't to late to save whoever it was, but as he pulled the body up the beach, he recognized the white dress, that covered the body.<em>

_It had been the same dress that Nikki had worn on their date. He flipped the body over and saw that the body was in fact Nikki, but he was unable to save her. Her eyes were open and clouded over and she had several stab wounds to her chest, and she had laserations around her wrist and ankles and then were bruises around neck, signalling that she had been strangled before she had been dumped in the water. He cried into her soaking chest, he lost her. She died protecting him. _

_He was picked up by his arms, and dragged away from the body and roughly pushed into the sand. He turned over to see who it was and he looked up and saw that it was a faceless person, pointing a gun into his face._

"_Since you didn't come to save her, you can die now," said the figure, pulling the trigger._

* * *

><p>Callen woke up in the dark motel room, sweat dripping down his face. He looked to his side and saw that Deeks and Kensi were sound asleep, Kensi wrapped in Deeks' arms, tear tracks evident on her face. Tony had fallen asleep on the couch, and Sam on the floor. He pulled back the covers and got out of bed. He silently got dresses and walked out of the room, slowly and quietly shutting the door.<p>

"I'm not sitting here doing nothing, when I could be doing something," he said quietly, before he walked out into the parking lot, leaving his sleeping comrades unaware of his abscence.

**A/N:****Another ****chapter ****done, ****and ****once ****again ****I ****am ****completely ****sorry ****for ****not ****up dating ****these ****past ****two ****weeks. ****Just ****remember ****reviews ****make ****me ****happy ****and ****keep ****me ****in ****the ****mood ****to ****update.**

**xo**


	15. Chapter 15: HOExBoyfriendAHUAAN

**A/N: I hope some of you like Criminal Minds, because after watching this past week's episode I thought I would incorporate it somehow.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Fifteen: Her Other Ex-Boyfriend and Her Honorary Uncles, Cousins and Nephews<span>

* * *

><p>The next morning, the motel room was brought out of a fitful slumber when Tony's cell phone rang. Tony quickly leapt up, jumping over Sam and over to the table where his cell phone sat. Without even looking at the Caller ID, he answered it, but all he heard was Nikki screaming once again.<p>

"Here that Dinozzo, she's screaming again," said Beck. Tony winced. He hated hearing her scream. He looked around the room, groggily. The group was slowly getting up and looking over to him, he shifted under their gaze, still being forced to listen to his 'little sister' scream from the torture she was under.

"What the hell do you want Beck," Tony snapped. He heard Beck laugh evilly and then the screaming stopped. Tony breathed deeply and the line was completely silent, except for the struggle and a quiet whimper from Nikki.

"Tony," came Nikki's voice.

"Yeah, Nik, it's me. Are you okay," he asked her, obviously knowing that she most likely wasn't. It was a stupid question to ask really.

"I'll live Ton, but please get me away from him," she whispered before screaming again.

"Meet the two of us in Mexico, with Callen, in two weeks," came Beck's voice and then the line went dead. Tony almost threw his phone out the Motel Room Window, but decided against it, because if Beck couldn't get a hold of them, then Nikki would be dead in a matter of minutes. He was so scared for her. Then he remembered someone else that could help them. He flipped open his phone and looked through his contacts, looking for someone specific. Kensi and Sam watched him carefully. Deeks had fallen back to sleep and no one had noticed that Callen was gone.

"Federal Bureau of Investigations, Quantico Base, how would you like your call directed," said a rather bored voice on the line. Tony took a deep breath.

"David Rossi, BAU, please," he asked, calmly. Sam and Kensi shared a look. Why would Tony be calling the BAU? What did the BAU have to do with Nikki and her being with Beck. What he was doing made absolutely no sense.

"David Rossi," came a gentleman's voice. Tony took another deep breath.

"Hey David, it's Tony Dinozzo."

"Tony, how are you son," asked Rossi. Tony chuckled.

"I could be better," Tony answered truthfully. There was a pause.

"David, it's Nikki," Tony began, before Rossi cut him off.

"What's wrong with her," the man asked his worry obvious in his voice. Tony took another deep breath, and he knew that it would be easier to just tell the entire team, rather than just Rossi, and then get several different phone calls from the team later, asking him questions on what they could do and so on and so forth.

"Get the entire team, you all need to hear this," Tony said, before he took another deep breath. This was hard enough for him, but it was about to get harder. The BAU was like a second family to Nikki, they had been her life, before Beck had kidnapped her the first time, and then after other circumstances she just needed time to get away to cope, so she moved away from Quantico, Virginia, to Washington with him and Gibbs. It had been hard on the team, considering everything that had happened afterwards. Gideon and Elle leaving, Hailey and Hotch getting divorced, Garcia getting shot, Hailey getting killed, Emily pretending to be dead and then coming back, she had been there for them from a distance, just like they had been there for her, but now Nikki needed them once more, but on a more professional level.

"Okay, Tony, the entire team's here," Rossi said.

"Hi everyone," he said. He received several hellos in response. He took another deep breath.

"Nikki has been kidnapped." He finally said it, and though it should have made him feel somewhat better, it only made him feel worse.

"Who has her Dinozzo," came an authoritative voice, that Sam and Kensi, did not recognize at all. It was different from the man's that Tony first spoke to.

"Beck Haffendale, Hotch. We're in Romania and Hetty was shot by Alexa Comescue, and some things happened, she ran from our motel room, and went to the beach, Kensi, one of the NCIS agents with us, followed her, and saw that she was being taken by Beck. She had her cell phone on her, that was how he called us," Tony explained.

"Is this Kensi with you there, Tony," came another voice, it was more feminine this time.

"Yes, I'm here," Kensi said.

"Did you see, if she was struggling against him, or if she went with him willingly, it could give us some info on what he wants? If she struggled with him, he wants her, if she went willingly he wants to use her to get someone else and she doesn't want to risk him hurting them," asked the voice.

"She didn't get a chance to choose, he knocked her out and he just sort of carried her off. He put her in this grey van, but it didn't have any plates, that I could see," Kensi explained.

"Besides we know what he wants," muttered Sam.

"What was that," asked the voice.

"We know what he wants already, Emily," Tony said before Sam could lose his temper.

"Well then what does he want," asked another male voice.

"Her…"Tony trailed off recognizing the voice. Kensi looked at Tony and then motioned to the phone, hoping that he would stop acting weird.

"Her what," asked the voice.

"Her new partner," Tony replied. Sam, Kensi and Deeks, who finally woke up, gave him a funny look. They all knew that Nikki's partner was Nate, but he hardly did any field duty, so she usually joined either Kensi and Deeks or Sam and Callen. Tony shook his head at them, and mouthed that he would explain it later.

"When will you be returning to the states," asked Hotch. Tony took a moment to think.

"We'll be returning in the next couple of days, as soon as Hetty gets cleared for travel," explained Tony. They said their goodbyes and hung up. Tony took a seat at the kitchen table. He ran a hand through his hair and put his head down in his hands. Kensi walked over to Callen's bed and went to wake him, when she noticed that he wasn't in his bed.

"Uh, guys we have a problem."

* * *

><p>In Virginia, the team sat in their bull pen and just beside themselves. They hated the thing that Nikki had turned into after the first time that Beck had held her captive. She was a shell of the person she once was. She only began to even let them about 6 years ago, when she began to date Derek. They were sweet together, even though it didn't last between them.<p>

Derek sat at his desk and looked at the picture that he kept in his drawer. It was of him with his arm wrapped around her waist and her arms were wrapped around his, her head resting against his shoulder and they were just looking into each other's eyes. They looked so happy, until one serial killer wanted to hit the team directly and he went after her. She had defended herself perfectly, but the damage had been. She needed space from everyone and everyone included him. It broke both of them for some time, but they eventually moved on, but you never forget the first true love.

* * *

><p>Inside the boardroom, Spencer was sitting at the table looking over the original file. He was looking over everything from Nikki's victim report to the eye witness count reports about Dinozzo shooting Beck. There was something weird about it all. Nikki's witness report was just erratic, as she had been when they found her, so it made sense with what had happened, but the witness reports were so different. One said that Dinozzo had shot Beck in the head, the other said it was his shoulder, some say that he wasn't shot and others said that it was Nikki, that they had their guns drawn on, which made no sense, because Nikki had been tied to a pipe, by Beck, and had difficulty walking afterwards, when they got her free, because she had been sitting there for 5 days. Her legs had been bruised heavily from the sexual assault and her pelvis had been crushed from the rape that Beck had afflicted on her.<p>

It had taken her two months to learn how to walk again. He remember Rossi, who had known her, her entire life, having worked with her father, before he died, was there for her every step of the way and he took care of her every night. Derek was there for her every time she had a nightmare and couldn't get a hold of Tony. She had a whole other life here.

Reid grabbed the file and walked over to Hitch's office, quietly knocking on the door.

"Come in," Hotch answered. He was looking over the footage of that day, from the news choppers that were watching everything extremely carefully.

"Hotch," Spencer said, as he entered.

"Reid," Hotch acknowledged.

"I think there is something extremely wrong with this case. The eye witness accounts don't add up with what was actually seen-"

"Yes, Reid I know, there is something going on here and I think that we need to look into this, even more than we did before," Hotch agreed.

* * *

><p>"<em>I can't do it Derek, it hurts so much," Nikki whined, as he made her continue to try and walk. He looked at her, trying not to laugh, as he pouted at her, like a child. He kissed her forehead, picked her up and placed her on her feet again., handed her, her walker and walked over to the door. She glared at his back, but she took a deep breath and pushed her walker and slowly took a few steps. She smiled to herself. She took a few more steps and that was the pain came over her, gasping, as she let go of the walker with her right hand. Derek looked worried. He ran over to her, putting his arms around her back. She smiled at him, as her face contorted in pain. <em>

"_I won't let anything happen to you Nikki, you know that," Derek said, as he lead her over to the chair in the corner. She smiled at him again._

"_I know."_

* * *

><p>Derek kept looking at the picture, when Hotch was called back in to his office. Hotch came running out, picking up his things and the team watched him.<p>

"Hotch, what happened," Emily asked, as she stopped him.

"Beck took Jack," he breathed out, before he continued to rush out of the office, the team watching him as he left.

* * *

><p>Nikki was sitting in a dark room, when she woke up, her hands and legs were tied to chair, she had a gag in her mouth. She tried to struggle against her confinement, and slowly they began to get lose, she smiled to herself.<p>

'Thank god, for small miracles,' she thought, as she continued to struggle. She stopped when the door banged open, and Beck was standing there with a small little boy. She looked at this little boy. He looked a little familiar. He reminded Nikki of Aaron Hotchner, her sort of Honorary Uncle. He had worked with her dad when he worked for the FBI, before his death. She kept looking at the little boy and then she remembered who he was. He was Jack. She had never met him in person, but she knew him from her chats with Aaron.

Jack looked at Nikki, and he instantly recognized her from the video chats she had with her father. She tried to smile at him, but the gag kept her from doing so. Beck pushed the little boy into the room, slamming and locking the door behind them. Jack continued to look at her and he timidly walked over to her, and tried to pry the knot of her gag open.

Finally the gag fell loose, and it came out of her mouth. Nikki took a deep breath.

"Jack, are you okay," Nikki asked, "Did he hurt you?" Jack shook his head no.

"Why are we here, Aunt Nikki," Jack asked quietly, as he worked on the knots on her right hand.

"I don't know, Jack, I really don't know," she lied to him, hoping that maybe she would not only be able to protect herself, but him as well.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I know I'm twisted, but I hoped you enjoyed it.**

**xo**


	16. Chapter 16: She Is Weak

**A/N: Hi Everyone, I'm sure the last couple of chapters have been confusing, but please stick with it, and I will hopefully explain everything, so that you all understand.**

* * *

><p>Chapter Sixteen: She Is Weak<p>

* * *

><p>Nikki cradled Jack in her arms, as he cried wanting father. She wanted so badly to tell him that everything would be okay, but she could only lie to the boy so much. She knew why she was here, but she didn't understand why Jack was here, he wasn't even born when Beck had taken her the first time, so she had no idea, how Beck even knew Jack. Had he been watching her? Had he tapped her phone lines? Checked who she had been in contact with? She rocked Jack back and forth humming a tune that she had known long ago, back when her parents were still alive.<p>

"What's that, Aunt Nikki," Jack asked her quietly, his tears beginning to end. She smiled at him.

"Something, my mum use to hum to me, when I was upset," she explained and continued to hum it in his ear, hoping that it would help him fall asleep, so he could get some rest. Then the door opened. She glared up at Beck, who just smirked at her. Jack looked between them, and began to burrow himself into Nikki's arms, whom had pulled the boy tighter to her and continued to glare up at Beck.

"This is between us, Beck. Why him? Why did you bring him here," Nikki asked. She turned Jack's face, so that he was facing behind her. Beck laughed.

"I need something from him," Beck, said reaching for Jack. She clutched him tighter to her body, but Beck's grip was to strong, and the boy was pulled from her arms, Nikki glared at Beck, standing up.

"I swear if you hurt him, I'll-"

"You'll what, quiver at me," Beck snapped. He slapped her across the face, knocking her to the floor.

"Aunt Nikki," Jack screamed, before he was pushed into the other room. The door slamming close behind him and Beck.

* * *

><p>Callen was sitting at the airport, waiting for the plane that would take him back to Los Angeles, when his burn phone began to ring. He looked at the Caller ID, he noticed that the number was Sam's. He ignored the call. He sat back in the chair, and looked up at the ceiling. The flashbacks of what happened to his mother, was still haunting him, but he needed to get past this. He needed to find Nikki. She could help him with what they meant.<p>

His phone began to ring once more, and he noticed that it was Kensi calling this time. He ignored the call once more. He knew that they were probably worried about him, but he needed to get back to Los Angeles, so that he could find out where the hell Nikki was, because he doubted the Nikki was still even in Romania, that Beck had most likely taken her to the airport the moment, that he had gotten her into his truck.

He looked at the phone, waiting for Deeks to call, when he noticed that Kensi or Sam had left a message.

"_G, __we __know __that __you__'__re __at __the __airport, __and __we__'__re __going __to __meet __you __there. __Beck __called __Tony__'__s __phone __and __he __wants __to __exchange __you __for __Nikki. __Tony __called __some __people __that __Nikki __knows __in __the __FBI, __and __they__'__re __going __to __help, __but __G, __you __got __to __help __us, __you __can__'__t __do __this __on __your __own. __You__'__ll __both __end __up __dead __if __you __try to do this on your own_," Kensi said, before hanging up. Callen took a deep breath and just starred at the ceiling some more. He closed his eyes and waited.

* * *

><p>Nikki woke up in the dark once more. She looked around the room, and noticed that Beck still hasn't brought Jack back. She clenched her teeth, as she tried to get up, but a sharp pain went shooting through her right wrist, causing her to collapse again. She rolled onto her back, and brought her wrist into the little light that shined into the room. It was swollen slightly.<p>

"I must have sprained it, when I tried to break my fall," she whispered to herself. Using her left hand, she propped herself up enough that she could seat herself on the bed. She looked out the window, and noticed that the sun was still shining, but it had become a little darker.

"It must be late in the afternoon,' she whispered, "Great, now I'm talking to myself. Nikki, you need to get a hold of yourself. Jack is with a twisted man, and your talking to yourself about the sunshine. You need to figure out a way to get a message to Aaron, Tony or G. Hell, I would settle for just getting a message to Derek, but how can I do it. Beck took my cell phone when we got here." She shook her head. She walked over to the window and pulled the curtain open.

She noticed that the sun was no where to be seen, so it must be on the other side of the house, which meant that they were facing North. The back yard lead onto a back field and if she squinted hard enough, she could see an old abandoned barn that sat on the land. She looked around the back yard some more, trying to find anything else that could help them identify the house, once she was able to get a message to them.

She heard footsteps, coming towards the door. She quickly shut the curtains and walked over to the bed, and lay down on it, and hoped that Beck wouldn't know what she had been doing. Slowly, the door opened and in walked Beck. He quietly shut the door behind him.

"Where's Jack," she snapped at him. He looked at her and grinned. Nikki felt some bile come up in the back of her throat. She didn't like that he was grinning at her, she knew that something wasn't right.

"He's fine. He's just watching some cartoons and eating," Beck explained, before he locked the door. Her eyes grew wide, when he pulled a gun on her.

"You told Tony, that nothing would happen to me, as long as you got G," she said backing away from him. He smirked at her again.

"Don't worry about that. Plus Jack gave me permission," Beck said. Nikki looked at him confused. Jack wouldn't want her dead. He must have led him to believe something else, for Jack to give him permission to do this.

"What did you say to him," she said eyeing the gun, that was being pointed at her.

"Just that you were weak, and that you need help. He just wanted to help you. Though I am sure, that, this," he paused waving the gun slightly at her, making her flinch, "wasn't what he had in mind." Beck smirked at him again. She felt the bile come back up in her throat. He pointed the gun at her and she closed her eyes, but the pain never came.

* * *

><p>When Callen opened his eyes, he saw Sam standing over him, glaring at him.<p>

"How did you get here so fast," Callen asked, as he rubbed his eyes, that were getting use to light.

"We were on the way to the airport, when we called you, and another thing," Sam paused, punching Callen in the shoulder," That was for disappearing in the middle of the night," he paused again, delivering another punch to Callen's shoulder," and that was for not answering your phone." Callen winced and looked around. The whole team was there, even Hetty. He looked around, not spotting Tony, when he spotted him by a pillar, on the phone again, rubbing his forehead.

"That doesn't look good," Callen said pointing to Tony. Sam looked over.

"Things haven't been going well, apparently, Beck just likes calling Tony to make him listen to Nikki scream. The guy never pulls away though, I think the screaming is the only solace he has that she is still alive and not already in a shallow grave," Sam said. He looked back at Callen. G looked miserable. The one person that he cared about was about to be ripped from him, and he had no idea what to do.

"We'll get her back, G, I promise," he said, before he started to play cards with Hetty.

* * *

><p>Nikki, opened one eye, to see that Beck was still pointing the gun at her, but he was just smirking at her.<p>

"You stupid bitch," he laughed, "You really think, I'd kill the only guarantee that I have of getting the only Callen left, and getting all kinds of riches from your family, in return for killing him."

Nikki smirked at this. It surprised Beck. He was shocked at that.

"They're dead, Beck, you won't be getting riches, because Hetty and I are the only Comescues left and, I would hate to, no actually I would love to tell you, that because I broke up with you, eight years ago and we never got married, you'll never see any of it, especially since, if I die, my will points out exactly who gets my share. I learned my lesson when my parents died. You never know when you'll leave the ones you love behind, so you best be prepared," she explained to him. Beck looked sick. He looked physically ill at the thought that Hetty and Nikki were the only Comescues left. She almost wanted to laugh, but she didn't want to antagonize him anymore than she already had.

"Well, I'm sure I'll be able to find a way around it, once I've killed you and Alexa has already taken out your dear grandmother-"

"Wrong again, Beck, my grandmother is in the hospital, they got her to a hospital before she could even pass out," she said. Nikki saw the way that everything dawned on Beck. She saw the way that he realized, that even if he did kill her. He would still have to go after Hetty, to get what he wanted, and another thing both of these women were from Comescue descent. They initial everything. Pages, paragraphs. The words that were written in their wills would become permanent, once they were dead and if he killed either of them, before they changed their wills. He would get nothing.

Alexa had expected to live through this, so she didn't bother changing her will to incorporate his payment just in case, and because all the other Comescues predeceased Hetty and Nikki, they would get everything. Alexa, would have kept the money in the family. He had no idea what would happen now. He put the gun back into his holster and walked out of the room, slamming the door behind him. A few seconds later he returned to push Jack back inside.

Nikki, ran over to him, and looked him over.

"Are you okay," she asked. Jack nodded and hugged her.

"Are you better, Aunt Nikki," Jack asked her innocently. She looked at him in surprise, but she knew better than to blame him. Beck had manipulated the boy into saying what he wanted. She smiled at him, because what he did in a way did help her. It helped her stand up to the man that had caused her to have nightmares for the past eight years.

"Yeah I am, but I'll be even better once we get out of here, so let's try and figure out a way to get a message to your dad," she said. Jack smiled at her in agreement.

* * *

><p>Tony walked over to group and collapsed into the chair beside Kensi. He put his head in hands.<p>

"What's wrong," Kensi asked, drawing the group's attention to them. Tony looked up, but continued to play with the cell phone in his hands.

"That was Rossi, apparently, Beck took Jack-"

"Who's Jack," asked Sam.

"He's Aaron Hotchner's son. Jack is sort of like a nephew to Nikki, after Hailey died Aaron asked Nikki to be his godmother. Before Nikki and Beck got engaged, there was a series of kidnappings that would result in a parental death in Quantico, Virginia. The BAU, was investigating it, but they never caught him. It seems that it was Beck, but he would take the kid, but the parents would always have problems. They would be drug addicts, suicidal or any problem that you could possibly think of, but anyways, they never caught him, cause the murders stopped right around the time that Beck and Nikki got engaged," Tony explained. The group looked angry.

"What Rossi thinks, is that Jack may have been taken, because he's the only child that Nikki has any sort of link to, and in his own twisted way of thinking, he needs Jack's permission before he can kill her-," Tony said, before he got cut off.

"But, he said that he wouldn't kill her, as long as we brought him, Callen," Kensi said. Tony looked at her.

"He'll do anything he wants at this point. He's going back to his old ways and that means that there is absolutely no guarantees that Nikki will come out of this alive, Tony said, before putting his head back in his hands. The group looked around at one another, and then back at Tony. They weren't sure if Nikki would survive this and if she did, what guarantee was there that Nikki, wouldn't be worse than she already was.

* * *

><p>Nikki and Jack sat in the room devising a plan that could help them get a message to his dad. Nicole knew that Jack was having a hard time with this, especially so soon after losing his mother. Hailey had always been a great mom, and she and Nikki had been extremely close, before everything had happened. Nikki had been a bridesmaid at Aaron and Hailey's wedding, and after Hailey had died, Aaron had asked her that if anything should happen to him that she would take Jack in and treat him as if she was his own. She had of course agreed.<p>

"I'm sure he'll call Tony again, so Jack when he does, I don't want you to listen okay, I want you to put your hands over your ears and look at the wall, do you understand me," Nikki asked him. Jack looked at her and nodded. Nikki didn't want Jack to hear her screaming, when Beck tortured her. She was sure that it would cause psychological damage if he heard it, and even though it was too late for her, she didn't want the same for him.

"But what about when he calls, Daddy," Jack asked innocently. Nikki looked at the door.

"You know that code that you and your dad have," Nikki asked. Jack nodded.

"I want you to use it okay, you need to tell him that we are in a house that has a backyard that leads onto an abandoned farm and the house is facing North, that'll help him and Garcia find us," Nikki explained. Jack nodded.

"But why can't you tell Tony," Jack asked. Nikki looked at the little boy, who's head was resting on her chest, and she ran her fingers through his hair, a single tear fell down her cheek. She had no idea, how to tell the little boy, that the next time Beck would call Tony, she might end up dead. She hated lying to him, but if it helped him keep his innocence just a little while longer, she knew that would all be worth it.

"Tony and I don't have a secret code like you and your dad do," she said. Jack smiled up at her.

"Maybe you should make one up, when we get out of here," Jack said innocently, before he started to fall asleep to soothing movement of Nikki brushing her fingers through his hair. Another tear fell down her cheek.

"If only, little man, if only."

* * *

><p>At the BAU, the team was hard at work trying to figure out where Nikki and Jack were and bring them home safely. They had no idea if they were still even in the same state anymore, but they needed to try. Everyday, at about quarter to noon, Hotch would get a call and he would get to talk to Jack, but so far, Jack hadn't been able to tell them, anything that was useful, and the other group couldn't even speak to Nikki, long.<p>

Just like clock work, Hotch's phone began to ring. He quickly picked it up.

"_Here, __speak __to __your __boy, __Hotchner_…"

"_Hi __Daddy,_"

"Hi Jack, are you okay," Hotch said, the team's heart was breaking as they listened to him talk to his son, once more.

"_Yeah __I__'__m __okay, __so__i s __Nikki. __Daddy__…_" Jack whispered, before trailing off.

"Yeah, Jack."

"_Do __you __remember __when __Superman __slammed __into __the __old __barn __and __the __people __that __lived __in __the __house __that __had __their __yard __back __on to __it, __helped __him, __but __he __just __whispered __to __them __that __he __wanted __to __get __back __to __the __sun, __that __was __setting __far __away __from __them_," Jack asked. Hotch's face seemed to light up. He motioned for Derek to give him a pen and paper. Derek passed it to him quickly. He wrote down, what Jack had said, and put it on the desk in front of him.

"Yes I do, Jack, and do you remember if the light shined into the room in the Queen's home," Hotch asked.

"_Yeah __I __do, __Daddy, __I __miss __you._"

"I miss you too buddy, we'll get you home safe soon," Hotch said before the call was disconnected. Hotch dialed Garcia on his phone.

"Garcia, can you tell me, how many homes face North and have their backyards that lead onto an abandoned farm, in Quantico," he asked.

"It'll be like finding a needle in a hayst-"

"Garcia…"

"I just found it," Garcia breathed.

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><p><strong>AN: So, Garcia, found them. I hope you enjoyed it.**

**xo**


	17. Chapter 17: Leave Her Alone

**A/N:****So it's my 18****th**** birthday this weekend and I can't wait! I would be really glad, if I could get a couple of reviews for my birthday and I wish you all a Happy Hallowe'en in advance. It's one of my favourite times of the year and not just because it's the day after my birthday, but magical things always happen on Hallowe'en and I am becoming impatient waiting for what happens this year.**

**In other news, my mother also gave me an early birthday present in the form of possible wisdom teeth extraction, so on top of it being my birthday and Hallowe'en, I won't be able to enjoy it, if I do get my teeth taken out. My sister and brothers find this hilarious and I'm truly ready to scream because of the pain, so as my readers I ask you to make me feel better by reviewing on October 30****th**** and making my 18****th**** birthday, one to remember.**

**Thank you and Enjoy!**

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><p><span>Chapter Seventeen: Leave Her Alone<span>

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><p>The team was on the move. Garcia had given them the address and they went into immediate action. They had no idea, how much longer, Jack and Nikki could live in the conditions that Beck had them in and it scared Hotch to no end. His son, who had recently lost his own mother, could now possibly see someone else die in front of him and he needed to get his son out. He knew that Nikki would keep Jack safe the best she could, but with the torture she was experiencing, he had no idea, how well she could be protecting him or for how much longer. He knew Jack wouldn't be able to lose anyone else, but he was scared for Jack's safety more than anything else. He kept having flashbacks to when Darrin Call had attacked Jack and Hailey and had taken them as his prisoners, to attack Hotch mentally.<p>

Emily noticed the change in Hotch.

"Are you okay?"

"What…yeah, I'm fine. Let's get them out of there," Hotch said, as they all climbed into the SUVs, bullet proof vests and headsets on, guns holstered. Emily watched Hotch as she climbed into the SUV with Derek.

"Derek, do you think something is wrong with Hotch," she said, as Derek began to speed to the address that Garcia had given them. Not taking his eyes off the road, he sort of shrugged at her, his mind being elsewhere as well. Emily looked at him, waiting for a more reassuring answer, but it seemed one would never come, she turned in her seat to look out the wind shield. It didn't seem this was like another case, it seemed as if this was on much more personal levels for all those involved, and not just Hotch.

* * *

><p>Inside the small bedroom that Beck kept Nikki and Jack in, Nikki and Jack were building a safe place for Jack to hide, the next time Beck came in. Nikki didn't want to frighten the boy, so she had to lie once more, and said that it was for them, to have a clubhouse that Beck couldn't enter. She saw the smile on his face, as he helped her build this small fort in the closet, that would hopefully keep him safe, if Beck decided to come in guns blazing ready to kill her. She didn't want him to see that. She had no idea what was to come, but she knew it was going to be bad.<p>

"So Jack, when we hear him coming, I want you to hide in the closet and hide in the fort, and I want you to close your eyes really tight and plug your ears, okay, I want you to imagine that your with your daddy and far away from this place, do you understand me," she asked, as they put the final touches on the fort. Jack looked up at her, and as if he sensed something was wrong, he hugged her around the waist. She was surprised by the action, but she slowly wrapped her arms around the little boy. It brought tears to her eyes that this might be the last hug she'll ever get from the boy. It hurt her to think that she might never see Aaron, Rossi, Emily, JJ, Tony, Abby, Ducky, Garcia, Gibbs, Ziva, Palmer, Hetty, Sam, Kensi, Derek, Reid, Deeks, Eric, Nell, or…G. The thought of never seeing G again, hurt her even more, than she thought the others would. She hugged Jack tighter and then let him go. Looking around the room, she tried to spot something that she could write a note to G with, in case something happened to her.

"What are you looking for Aunt Nikki," Jack asked. The question brought tears to her eyes. She'd never have kids of her own, she'd have her nephew and that was it. She loved this little boy as if he were her own, but something in her, realized that she wanted kids of her own. She had no idea what was wrong with her, as more tears streamed down her cheeks, to the shock of Jack. He hugged her again, which she took gratefully. She had no idea what was wrong with her. Maybe it was what seemed like their impending doomed, the fact that she would never see her family again, that Aaron would most likely never get to see Jack, his smile or hear his laugh again, or maybe it was because she wasn't married with kids, or that she had kept it together this long, and now she needed to let it all out or maybe, just maybe it was the fact that G, would never know how much she truly loved him. It could be a number of things, but she knew right now, she needed to be strong. She needed to be Jack's rock, while they were trapped here.

"Are you okay, Aunt Nikki," Jack asked her, as he continued to hug her. She was about to answer, when she heard the stereo come on. She knew that Beck was trying to toy with her. He was playing Bed of Roses by Bon Jovi, the song that they had decided to be the one that played for their first dance, had they been married. She tensed for a second. Beck had been hired to get to G, through her, and she would have been killed for being a traitor to the Comescue family. It finally hit her. Beck only started dating her on Aunt…no, Alexa's orders. She most likely would have died on the wedding night or soon after. It had all been a ploy.

Anger began to fill Nikki, replacing every inch of sadness that had seeped into her body. Jack felt the change, and soon let go of his godmother. Nikki replaced the look of anger on her face with a smile, when Jack looked at her, but deep inside she was seething. And Beck was about to learn a lesson, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, and a woman scorned was who she was.

* * *

><p>Hotch, had tried to get a hold of Tony, to tell him that they had found Nikki and Jack, but every time he called him, it went straight to voicemail. He frowned and then looked at the time. It was almost 2:00pm, which meant that it was almost 9:00pm there. Their flight should have left the airport about 10 minutes ago. Hotch swore under his breath. It was a six hour flight from the Romanian airport to Quantico and he was sure that Nikki and Jack did NOT have six hours. They needed to act now.<p>

* * *

><p>Tony looked at his phone as he turned it off. He hoped that the BAU team would have a break through, while they were flying, he couldn't bear to think about what kind of torture, Beck was putting Nikki through. He knew she would act tough, she had a reason to. Jack was there and he knew that as much as Nikki was scared of Beck, she would be strong for the kid. She loved that kid, but it scared him at thought that her bravery might cost her, her life.<p>

He looked over at G, who had his head down, looking through his phone, before he turned it off. Tony watched as he looked at a picture of him and Nikki, sitting in the bull pen together, before Hetty left and she was shot. She had her arms wrapped around her shoulders, and he was smiling at something that she had said. It hurt him to think about her. He didn't want to think that she was dead, but he needed to start bracing himself for the possibility, and that scared him more than anything else in his lifetime.

* * *

><p>Jack had fallen asleep. Nikki was sitting in the armchair by the door, watching him silently. Even in this environment, he looked peaceful, dreaming whatever he was dreaming about. He had his little arm tucked under him, and his arm wrapped around the small pillow, that Nikki had given him to cuddle with, in place of his teddy bear the first night they were both there. She couldn't sleep. The music had stopped a few minutes ago, but she was to awake to sleep. She looked at Jack once more. He was breathing evenly and had the most innocent look on his face, that made her feel guilty about putting him in this position.<p>

She knew that she didn't do it herself, but she should have known better. She should have known that when her estranged grandfather forced her say that Beck was dead, when she knew he wasn't. Even when she heard the rumor that he was actually dead, she shouldn't have believed it. That's why she wanted to take a look at his file. She knew that her grandfather must have had something to do with this.

"Damn, bastard," she whispered, without thinking. She looked at Jack as soon as she said it. She didn't want him to wake up. Neither of them had slept much, since they were taken and she knew that he needed some sleep. She could go days, but she knew that eventually she would crash, but she hoped that when that happened, it would be in G's arms and she would be safe. The blanket that she had laid on Jack had slipped off his shoulders. Nikki padded up to him, lifted it back on him.

Kissing his forehead, she whispered, "Sweet dreams, little one. We'll get out of here soon, I promise." She stepped away from him, when she heard footsteps in the hall. She looked at Jack frightened. Quickly she lifted him, hoping that he didn't wake and gently placed him in the closet, facing him away from the door. Quietly closing it, she dove under the covers that were on the bed, brought a pillow between her arms, so that Beck wouldn't question where Jack was.

The door slammed opened, and Nikki doubted that Jack slepted through it, but she feigned sleep, hoping that maybe if she acted as if she was asleep, that Beck would leave her alone. She felt a hand creep up her side, and into her hair. Beck pulled on it, pulling her out of the bed, and down the hall. Nikki was crying and trying to pull her hair from his grip, but it was too tight. He threw her in front of him, so that she landed on her stomach.

Before she could stop him, he kicked her in the side, having her turn onto her back. She gasped from the pain. She didn't feel anything crack, for that she was grateful. Her head lulled to the side, so that she was looking away from his feet. Beck placed his foot on her neck, and stepped onto it softly, his other foot not leaving the ground. She gasped for air, as she felt his foot beginning to crush her windpipe.

"All I have to do is step Nikki, and your windpipe is effectively crushed and what would poor Callen do then? Mmm, would he cry Nicole, would he want to die, when he sees your twisted body, buried shallowly in the backyard," he taunted her. She gasped again, as his foot was taken off her neck, he kicked her in the side again, and then picked her up by her hair.

"Do you love him, Nikki," he spat in her face. She glared at him. He slapped her. She flinched away from him. Her eye began to bruise lightly.

"Answer me, Nicole," he yelled. She looked at him defiantly. He slapped her again, letting go of her hair. She dropped to the floor, onto her side. He kicked her in the stomach this time. Nikki wrapped her arms around her stomach trying to protect herself. She tucked her head in, so that he couldn't kick it, but he didn't try. Nikki didn't want to give him the satisfaction of crying in front of him. She didn't want him to see her breaking down. She had enough of being weak. He got up again. He was going to make her break. He was going to beat her, until she begged for death, and then he would continue, until all she wanted to do was die, until she didn't think about anything else, but death and then he would finally grant her that wish.

"You're a bastard you know that," she whispered, barely loud enough for him to hear. He smirked at her and then as she tried to crawl her way to freedom, he kicked her in the stomach again.

"Leaving the kid, behind, I didn't know you were so heartless, Nicole," Beck taunted again. She looked to the room, that she knew Jack was hiding in.

"I'd never leave him," she snapped, only for Beck to hit her again.

"And that'll be your mistake," he said, before he began attacking her again.

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><p>The BAU team was sitting outside the house. They had no idea, how to get in there without Beck realizing, and him going after Jack and Nikki. They didn't want to risk their safety, but then the living room lights turned on, and even though the curtains that Beck had on the windows didn't allow them to see into the house clearly, they could see two shadows fighting.<p>

Derek knew that one of them was Nikki, and he knew that Nikki may be a good fighter, but Beck was much stronger than her. He flinched as he saw the smaller figure fall to the ground. He looked at Hotch and he nodded. They would have to go in soon, or Nikki could be dead, before they got the chance to. He grabbed his gun from the holster and led the S.W.A.T team to the door. He counted to three and then kicked the door open.

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><p>Nikki was beginning to give up when the door was broken off its hinges, and flew into the hallway. She looked up to see S.W.A.T storming the main room. She slowly got up, cradelling the wrist that Beck had broken in a way to make her beg for her own death.<p>

She smiled at weakly as she saw Derek, Emily, Hotch and Rossi enter, their guns drawn and aimed at Beck, who was now wielding a fire poker that he had picked up from beside the fireplace.

"It's over, Beck, just give up," she said, she wanted to give him a chance to keep his life. She didn't want to, but she was nothing like her family, taking lives from those that are innocent, caring grudges that last through generations. Derek looked at her questioningly. She waved him off.

"Beck, put the fire poker down, and they won't harm you," she gasped out. She was having trouble breathing, during the last kick that Beck had delivered to her stomach, she felt something crack. Beck looked at doubtfully.

"I'm not going anywhere, Nicole, not until I kill you and your boyfriend first," Beck said, and then advanced on her with the fire poker. She took a few steps back, before she flung herself to the floor and S.W.A.T and the BAU team opened fire on Beck. It all seemed to happen in slow motion and then as Beck finally took a bullet to the heart, every single struggle, every single nightmare that Nikki had to face afterwards seemed worth it. It was over and he was really dead and no one was going to force her to lie again. No one was going to take her life and she had lived through it all.

It was then that she broke down. She put her head in her arms and cried for the freedom she now had. And as she cried, she suddenly became very aware of the struggle she was having to breathe. She could hear Derek calling for the paramedics, and Hotch calling for Jack as her world went black.

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><p><strong>AN: Nikki is finally free of Beck and I hoped I explained a lot. Next chapter the of Gikki (G/Nikki) and some tension between the ex-boyfriend and the sort-of-on-the-cusp boyfriend. Oh and a new couple makes an appearance. **

**xo**


	18. Chapter 18: WNtSRLT

**A/N: So what's in store for our favourite couple now that Beck is permanent history? Well read on to find out. I was a little surprised that no one reviewed the last chapter. I mean Beck is dead….oh well just remember reviews keep me in the mood to update. By the way I didn't get my wisdom teeth taken out; because my dentist is a complete idiot…..this is why I hate stupid people, they usually have no idea what they're doing, much like my boyfriend when it comes to my favourite Rom-Coms, but I excuse him, he can't help it the fact that he doesn't like them and only puts up with them to keep me happy. Love you Boo!**

**Enjoy!**

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><p><span>Chapter Eighteen: We Need To Stop Reuniting Like This<span>

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><p>G walked off the plane at Quantico NAS Airport to be met by a man that he had never met, seen or heard of before, but it looked as if Tony knew he was. He rushed pass the Los Angeles team and over to an older Hispanic gentleman. The team looked on curiously waiting to be introduced, and then they saw Tony smiling. This surprised those gathered most of all, because he hadn't smiled since Kensi had run into their motel room in Romania, saying the Beck had Nikki. But just as they saw his smile appear on his face, it was replaced with a look of worry just as fast. Callen who had felt comfort when he saw Tony smiling, felt a force of sadness fill his body. Tony waved them over.<p>

"I'd like to introduce you to David Rossi," Tony said pointing to the man, "he volunteered to pick us up and take us to the hospital to see Nikki." Those gathered breathed a sigh of relief, well all except Callen.

"What happened," he asked forcefully.

"You must be G," David said, "Nikki hasn't stopped talking about you since she woke up from her operation."

"Operation, what operation, last we heard she was still Beck's captive" Kensi asked, placing her bag on the floor.

"We ended up finding where Beck kept her and Jack. Not long after Hotch called Tony to let him know that Beck had now taken Jack, but by the time we had everything together to actually save them both, you were already in the air, and we had no way of contacting you anymore. Hotch and Morgan-"

"Who's Morgan," Deeks asked.

"Derek Morgan," David answered, "anyways, they decided to go ahead. We had no idea how much longer Nikki and Jack could live in the conditions that Beck had them in. When we got there Beck and Nikki were in engaged in a physical fight, and Beck had the upper hand. S.W.A.T. didn't want to go in and risk Nikki or Jack's safety, but Morgan decided to go in with a few S.W.A.T personnel and the rest of the BAU team, because it seemed that Nikki was getting beat up pretty badly. When we entered, Nikki was on the floor clutching her stomach and Beck had a fire poker in his hand-"

"What," Callen snapped. He looked ready to kill, but Tony put his hand on the shoulders. Callen looked at him, and saw that Tony nodded to Rossi. There was more to the story.

"Nikki gave him a chance to put it down, and stop threatening her, before we opened fire, but he deemed it more prudent to end her life and continue to threaten you Mister Callen," David paused. Hetty looked close to tears. She had lost so many people already in her life and it seemed now that she would have to bury one more person that she would need to say goodbye to before their time. Tony continued to smile above her though, which was a telling sign for those that could see him that something good had happened.

"Besides a couple of broken ribs, she's fine, we got her to the hospital in time. She'll make a full recovery," Rossi said saving them the rest of the details. The team cheered, while Rossi led them to his car, so that he could take them to the hospital to see the person they all came to save.

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><p>Derek sat in the hospital room with Nikki, as she complained about the lack of good food in hospitals. Jack was wrapped in her arms, not having taken two steps away from her or his dad, the entire time, which he was with them. Reid said that it had become a coping mechanism. He needed to reassure himself constantly that Nikki had not died in that house and that he was actually with his father, rather than it being a dream and he would wake up, still in that house with Nikki. He smiled, as Nikki tickled the little boy, who's contagious laughter seemed to fill the room easily.<p>

"So Derek, how are you," she asked, when Jack left the room with his father for some ice cream, "we haven't spoken since I left Quantico."

"Well that's because, you said you needed space, and I gave it to you," he snapped. Nikki looked at him in surprise. She had no idea how to respond to this. Their relationship had always been easy going, and sure once in a while one of them would lose their temper and take it out on the other, but that was only when they deserved it. Nikki hadn't spoken to Derek in almost 7 years. She had no idea what she could have possibly done to warrant an argument.

"I waited for you Nik, you said you needed time, and through out the past 7 years, I've had to hear about you dating other FBI agents or you dating your fellow NCIS agents or people your grandparents have set you up with. You said that you needed space Nikki, that you needed to leave, I guess I thought that maybe-"

"Maybe, I would come back and we could pick up from where we left off," Nikki said cutting him off. He nodded. He remembered how she could finish his sentences without even knowing what he was saying, but figure it out before he even finished saying it. He loved that about her. She took his hands in hers and looked at him.

"D, 7 years ago, I was a girl on the verge of breaking down, because I had suffered from something horrific and I needed to get away from everyone that I had surrounded myself with especially after the attack in my own home. I needed to get away. I needed to become the person that I was before it happened and even though it's been 7 years, I still won't be the person I was before, even though the person that caused it, is dead. Derek, I'm not the girl you fell in love with 7 years ago, my experiences have changed me, and the girl that I was 7 years ago, will never be coming back, especially now that I have found someone that really understands me, Derek, please just let me go, okay," Nikki explained. Derek took a deep breath and nodded. He realized she was no longer the same person that he had fallen in love with. That girl was in the after math of everything. The girl that was reliving it nightly and needed him there when she couldn't get a hold of her "big brother". She no longer needed him to comfort her.

"I understand Nik, but it was hard, I thought all you needed was space and I gave you that, but I guess it didn't click that you would need space from me too," Derek said. Nikki looked at him sadly. She never realized how many people she had hurt along the way. She looked the opposite wall.

"I guess I should've been more clear, when I said I was leaving to go to Washington. I should've never left until you understood, that you and I couldn't continue, until I was better-"

"And you're better now," Derek said cutting her off. She took another deep breath, still staring at the opposite wall, trying not to look Derek in the eyes, because she loved G, she knew that now. She had figured it out, while she was trapped in that room fearing for her life and all she could think about while Beck was beating her, was that she might never see G again. She didn't want to break Derek's heart even more than it already was, but she needed to tell him that there was no longer any hope for the two of them, because she was in love with someone else.

"Derek," she said, Derek looked up. She had never called him by his whole first name, she usually only just called him D.

"I'm in love with G Callen, okay. I love him so very much and I can't let him go. I need him and he needs me. Derek, please, it's time to let me go," she practically begged. She looked him in the eye now and in them she saw sadness and loss of hope, but then she saw a glint of something. She saw a glint of what looked like relief. Derek smiled at her and at that moment she knew that he had finally let her go, but he would still be there for her if she called.

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><p>Callen was restless on the way to the hospital. He was constantly looking at his watch, wondering how long it was taking for them to get from the airport to the hospital or how long they were sitting at a red light or how long it took them if they were stuck in traffic. He not only looked at his watch, but he would constantly ask to look at Tony or Sam's. He was convinced that his watch was moving slowly, compared to Sam and Tony's. He knew that Rossi had said that Nikki was going to make a full recovery, but he wanted to see what damage that her "stay" with Beck had caused her emotionally.<p>

Sam shook his head at Callen's behaviour. He had never seen someone so desperate to get to the hospital to see someone, that would make a full recovery. He knew that Callen and Nikki's feelings were deeper that what they wanted to admit out of fear of rejection, but if Callen asked to see his watch one more time, he would sure to lock the both of them in a room somewhere with no way out, so that they can talk about the feelings that they had been keeping from one another. God, he hated the both of them right now.

"Sam-"

"If you're asking me the time again, I'm going to throw you out of this car and you won't get to see Nikki," Sam growled as Callen, went to ask for the time. G immediately closed his mouth and looked out the window, at the traffic that seemed to be passing by too slowly for his liking.

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><p>Nikki and Derek sat in an uncomfortable silence, until Rossi opened the hospital room door. He walked over to his niece and kissed her on the head. She smiled at him brightly, grateful that he had shown up and she could now dismiss the uncomfortable feeling that was now between her and Derek. Everything seemed fine after they had spoken earlier, but after Nikki started to gush about Callen, things had become awkward and they both decide that it was better not to talk at that moment.<p>

"You have some guests," David explained, as he held her hand in his. She looked at him quite confused for a moment, but then she thought about everyone that stepped into her room since her arrival early this morning. Gibbs, Abby, Ducky, McGee, Ziva, Palmer, Derek, Jack, Aaron, David, Spencer, Emily, JJ and Garcia had all come to visit her….then she realized that it was the LA team. She quickly turned to the door to see G leaning against the door frame, smiling at her. She smiled back at him and beckoned him closer.

He took slow steps toward her, but in the end, when he finally reached her side, he bent down and gave her a passionate kiss. Nikki smiled into the kiss. Derek gave a small squawk of surprise, when he saw Nikki kissing this guy, that hadn't bothered to introduce himself before doing so. The rest of the room's occupants smiled at the couple.

"We really need to stop reuniting in hospitals," Callen said, realizing her from their kiss. She nodded up at him, unable to speak. She kissed her again, trying to pull him onto the bed. He laughed softly, when Nikki went to tug his bottom lip in-between her own. She obviously didn't care that there were other people in the room. All she cared about was that Callen was standing here in front of her, she was alive, Jack wouldn't be permanently damaged by what had transpired and that Beck was dead and she could finally live without a care about him. Even the subtle coughs that Sam was making weren't getting through to them. Hetty was just smiling at them, glad that Nikki was okay.

"Stop trying to eat my Aunt Nikki's face," cried a small voice. The two broke their kiss and looked down at Jack who was standing beside Callen. Nikki's eyes went wide, and looked around the room. She glared at Aaron who was smiling at her innocently. Callen let go of Nikki blushing, clearly embarrassed that he and Nikki had begun to get carried away when there were other people in the room. Nicole quickly recovered and motioned for Jack to climb back into the hospital bed with her. He quickly climbed in and she wrapped him in her arms.

"Jack, there are some special people I would like you to meet," she stage whispered in his ear. He giggled and looked up at her. She pointed to Hetty.

"Jack, that woman is my grandmother, she knows almost everything and I'm pretty sure if you asked her nicely she'll share the secrets of the world with you. The tall man beside her," she pointed to Tony, "is Tony, he's my brother in everything but blood, and he really likes movies, heck I'm pretty sure if you ask him to he could recite his favourite movie word for word. The man beside him," she pointed to Sam, "is Sam, he use to be a Navy Seal and he likes to protect the ones he loves."

"Like you protected me?"

"Yeah, a lot like how I protected you," she whispered quietly. Jack had called her, his hero, and even though she couldn't protect herself, Nikki was glad that she had been strong enough to protect him from any harm.

"The woman, she's Kensi, my best friend in the entire world. She loves practically everything that I do, but with one difference, she loves to bug Marty Deeks, the guy with the shaggy hair beside her. He can be kind of annoying, but once you get use to him, you just let it slide. He has a dog named Monty and I'm pretty sure if you ask nicely, he'll show you a picture of him." Jack looked up at Nikki and then over to G.

"And who's that?"

"Him? Well, that's G. He's my boyfriend," she said not even looking at Jack. She just looked at Callen. G smiled at her. He wanted to kiss her so bad, but she had Jack in her arms, and they had already been told by said boy, that Callen needs to stop "eating" Nikki's face.

"Was that why, he was eating your face," Jack asked. Nikki almost burst with laughter, but looked at the small boy.

"Yeah, and you know what, when you're my age, and you find a girl that you like a lot, you'll be eating her face too," Nikki joked, tickling the small boy. He laughed, causing the rest of the occupants to join in. When she stopped, Callen and her shared a look, one that promised they had a lot to talk about, when they were alone.

* * *

><p>Callen had gone to get coffee, while he waited for Nikki's to be tested and then they would go out somewhere and talk about everything that had transpired, when she had been kidnapped. He stood in the hospital cafeteria and waited as the matron made him his cup. Derek came up behind him and ordered a coffee as well. Callen turned around and looked at Derek. He held out his hand.<p>

"Sorry. I never introduced myself. I'm G." Derek looked at the hand that was being offered to him and took it. The two men began to slowly size each other up. Callen suspected that Derek didn't like him and he had a feeling that he shouldn't trust him at all.

"Derek," he said before grabbing his coffee and leaving. Callen glared at Derek, suspecting that maybe he should ask Nikki, what Derek's problem with him is, and just how close they were, when she had lived here. Thanking the matron for his coffee, he got up and walked to Nikki's room, not caring that he would have to wait outside until her tests were done, at least he would be close to her and wouldn't have to be in company of someone that clearly does not like him.

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><p>When Callen reached the hallway outside, Nikki's room, he saw Derek sitting in one of the chairs.<p>

'_Great_', he thought as he took a seat next to him, taking a sip of his coffee.

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><p><strong>AN: Well here you go. Hope you enjoyed it!**

**xo**


	19. Chapter 19: Derek or G

**A**

**A/N: I'm really glad everyone is enjoying this story. Keep reviewing and I'll keep updating.**

**Enjoy!**

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><p><span>Chapter Nineteen: Derek or G<span>

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><p>Nikki sat in the hospital bed, as the doctor did some tests. She was so happy to be alive, and that she no longer had to be suffocated by Beck's shadow. She stared at the opposite wall as the nurse took some blood from her. She never did like needles. Even as a kid she would cry and cry as her mother squeezed her hand, and then as the doctor tried to give her lollipop she just stared at him. She never trusted doctors after they gave her needles. She never had a reason why, she just didn't and that caused her parents to go through at least 4 pediatricians and at most 6, she couldn't remember the earlier years, but she could defiantly remember the years that followed.<p>

As an adult, she learned that she needed to take everything in stride, especially the past 8 years. She frowned as she thought about how it all started. An engagement that had just been a ploy to get to G, when she didn't even know him. She hated when guys used girls, and yet when someone did it to her, she couldn't see it. That hurt her more than ever, because that was the part that she should have seen coming. She had prided herself in high school and college that she could pick out a cheater/player in a room full of crowded men but when faced with dating one herself, she just seemed be blinded.

She had put the blinders on, and she just turned her head when he showed her his flaws. She should have known. She kept berating herself, even after the nurse left, handing her the TV remote, and shutting the door behind her. Nikki guessed that Callen and/or Derek were sitting outside waiting to come in, but she had told the nurse that she needed time alone, once she was finished. No one was going to be allowed to come through those doors, except for hospital personnel, until she could finish thinking. She flicked through the TV channels until she finally settles on a show that had two very different male leads. The Vampire Diaries.

She laid back against her pillows, as she watched the two Salvatore brothers fall for the same girl and fight the evil original vampire in an effort to save her from becoming a human blood bag, though only one was doing it for her, the other was doing it for his freedom. She smiled as closed her eyes, as Elena closed hers at the end of the show, staring into Damon's eyes.

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><p><em>When she opened her eyes again, she was standing in a church. She looked around for a familiar face that could explain what she was doing here, rather than lying in a hospital bed, like she should be. She looked around and realized that she was attending a wedding, as to who's she couldn't remember, or she just didn't know. She could see NCIS, some FBI and some CIA, and they were all familiar faces, but it seemed that no one noticed her, as she walked down the aisle. She thought that it was weird that they all faced forward. No one was talking as they waited for the ceremony to start. They all looked stone faced, as if they were there because they were being forced to attend, instead of being proud that one of their own was getting married.<em>

_She heard the wedding march start and she turned to look at the doors at the back of the church as they opened. She saw a vision of white and red, but the veil covered the face. She quickly took a seat on an empty bench and watched as the bride walked down the aisle to the groom._

_"G," she gasped, as she looked at the Groom's face. She smiled at the thought of actually marrying G. She pictured that it would look something like this, but while she looked around the decorated church, she felt a sort of darkness sweep over her. She looked over to the front and saw that G was lifting the veil and the person in that dress wasn't her. She took a deep breath, trying to keep calm and not walking up to the faceless girl that was standing in front of the man she loved deeply. She wanted desperately stop the wedding, but someone kept her seated. When she looked beside her, she saw Derek, but it wasn't the Derek she was use to. There was a sort of darkness about him. _

_She continued to watch desperately, hoping that G, would realize that he was marrying the wrong person and that he would run down the aisle to her, freeing her from this Derek's hold, but she had to watch in horror as the priest announced them as man and wife, and allowing G to kiss his bride. Together they ran past her and Nikki was forced to realize that he had moved on without her even knowing it, and she was stuck with this evil Derek. _

_"I know you love him, Nikki, but you and I are married, you'll need to get over it," Derek whispered in her ear. She shuddered at the eerie feeling that crept upon her. She looked into Derek's eyes and instead of the usual dark brown, she saw pure black. She jumped back, trying to run from him, but his hold on her wouldn't allow her too. She screamed for help, but no one came. She continued to scream, trying to pry herself from his grip._

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><p>Derek and Callen could hear Nikki screaming from out in the hall. They both jumped up, their coffees falling to the floor, as they barged into the room. Running over to her bedside, Callen slowly pulled her into his arms, as she continued to scream alerting the hospital. Derek watched, trying to find, anything that could help them keep her calm, so that she could go back to a restful sleep and allow herself to wake up to keep her from having another night terror. He looked through her purse, trying desperately to find her music player, but she had so much in there and so many compartments to store things in, that he was having a hard time finding it.<p>

"She usually keeps it in the front pocket," Callen said, as he rocked Nikki back and forth as she continued to scream in terror, her eyes squeezed shut. Callen hated seeing her like this, unable to help her. She was finally free from Beck, but the torture that he had put her through had it's lasting effects. Night terrors, scares, and the fear. With time, all of it would fade, but they would have to take it one slow step at a time.

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><p><em>Nikki opened her eyes to see that Derek had morphed into G, and she almost smiled, until she looked into his eyes and there instead of the usual bluish grey eyes, all she saw was black, she tried to run again, but was met with blinding sun shine. They were at the beach, in the same spot that she and G had their first date. She could see the ice cream place where her and G had shared a large ice cream sundae and a soda. In the distance, the sun was setting. She was afraid to look at G, though. She didn't understand why his eyes were black.<em>

_"You. It's your fault, I don't have a family. If it wasn't for your family carrying a grudge, I'd still have my mother and my sister. I would know who I am! It's all your fault," he screamed at her, causing him to look at her. She tried to deny the accusations, but she found that she could not speak, that her voice had left her stranded. She tried pulling her arms from his grasp, but no matter how hard she tried to get away, he'd just pull her closer and hold her tighter. _

_"G, please, you're hurting me," she whimpered, finally finding her voice. His eyes just flared in anger. _

_"You think my mother, wasn't hurting when your family killed her. No, you'll know the exact pain she felt," Callen snapped. He threw her to the ground and pointed a gun right at her head. She stared at him wide eyed. He looked cruel. He didn't even look like himself anymore._

_"Please, G, don't do this," she begged. She closed her eyes again, and the last thing she heard from him was HIS cruel high laughter._

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><p>Derek finally found, Nikki's music player , turning it on and trying to find the song that he use to play for her, when she would have night terrors, while she slept at his house, he was having trouble finding 'I Promise You' by the Backstreet Boys. She had always kept it at the very top of her sleep play list, but it was no longer there. Callen noticed him having trouble.<p>

"She listens to 'Musical Soulmate' by some guy named Mark Salling," Callen said, before going back to whispering, comforting and calming thoughts into Nikki's ear. She had stopped screaming some, but every once and a while a loud shriek would come from her mouth, causing both of them to wonder, what exactly she was dreaming about, that would cause her to scream so much and so loudly. She hadn't said a word to give them a clue, and the way that Callen was holding her, she was kept from thrashing about and hurting herself even more than she already was.

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><p><em>The third time, that Nikki opened her eyes, she was no longer at the beach or in the church, she was in the woods. <em>

_"I recognize this place," she said, as she walked towards the lake, that seemed to be calling her closer to it, and though she knew her way, it seemed as though her feet had a mind of their own and were calling her into the deepest and most dangerous part of the lake, where someone seemed to be waiting for her. She continued to walk into the blinding light towards the person that was waiting for her. She couldn't recognize them from their back, but when they turned around, she wished they hadn't. _

_It was Beck._

_"You think you'd be rid of me that easily," he smirked. He grabbed her by the wrist that he had broken and dangled her over the edge of the dock, she squirmed, trying to keep a hold on Beck. This was the only time that she ever wanted to hold on to him. She had fallen off this dock once when she was nine, and she almost didn't make it. She wouldn't have if it wasn't her grandfather jumping in after her and saving her. _

_She never wanted to repeat that experience again. The feeling of the water filling your lungs, your brain shutting down due to lack of oxygen, the panic that first sets in when you realize that you might not make it out alive. She was so afraid and yet here she was again, stuck between the proverbial rock and a hard place. She wanted to be on land and not dangling over the lake, but on land there was Beck, whom would hurt her the first chance. _

_She tried to scream again, but by this point her throat was hurting and she no fight left in her. The love of her life had turned on her and blamed her for the doings of her family, and a friend that she loved dearly had turned into a monster, and now she was stuck with a man, that just couldn't die and leave her in piece, no matter how hard she tried to get away from him. As she finally gave up, and was about to accept her fate, she heard it. _

_The music. It was the music that allowed to know what was fake and what was real. She now knew that the Derek and G, she had seen were fake and didn't really act like that, and she had seen Beck die in front of her. He had bled out and was now going to be six feet under. She closed her eyes and hummed along with the music._

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><p>Slowly Nikki opened her eyes, and saw someone standing over her. In a moment of panic, she brought her knee up sharply, kneeing the person that was standing over her in the crotch.<p>

"OW," yelled a male voice. Nikki gasped.

"Oh my gosh, are you okay-"

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><p><strong>AN: There you go, another chapter to satisfy your cravings. Cookies for my reviewers. Thank you!**

**xo**


	20. Chapter 20: Amelia and Reginald Daniels

**A/N: So I'm done with the Derek and G stuff. It got a little annoying to try and write it into this chapter especially after the way they helped each other out in the last one, when Nikki was having another Night Terror. Keep reviewing. **

**Enjoy!**

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><p><span>Chapter Twenty: Amelia and Reginald Daniels<span>

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><p>"Oh my gosh, are you okay, G," she gasped as soon as she realized who it was that she had kneed. He was cupping himself, and groaning in pain. Nikki walked over to the small fridge that they kept in her room, for the time, being seeing as she refused to eat anything, that was kept in their fridge. She got some ice out, and put it in a small baggy. She handed it to him with a sheepish smile on her face. Callen grabbed the bag and slowly placed it on his crotch.<p>

"I am so-" His hand cut her off with a wave. He didn't want to hear it. He knew that she was sorry, from the look on his face, but right now all he could focus on was the pain that just seemed to grow, when he placed the ice on it. She patted the bed and her and Derek helped him lay down on it, she pushed his legs open slightly, causing Callen to start hoping that nothing happened, while she placed the ice back on his crotch, extremely carefully. He smiled at her, as the pain began to recede. He looked at her. He hadn't noticed it before, but she wasn't in the normal hospital gown, like she had been after she had been shot after their first mission together, which he was grateful for. He didn't know how he'd react right now, if Derek was able to look at her ass.

"Rossi, gave me back some of the clothes, that I had left behind. I'm surprised they still fit, I was extremely small then," Nikki explained, making Derek scoff, she glared at him. She knew that Callen didn't like, hearing about how she was like, after the first time she was with Beck and she didn't want to make him worry more, that she would return to those ways. It was in the past and with Beck finally dead, she could finally put it behind her fully.

"What Nikki," Callen said, noticing the way she was glaring at Derek.

"It's nothing," she said, wiping the glare off her face, to smile at G.

"Nik, you barely ate, when any of us gave you hugs, we could feel your ribcage, and don't even get me started on when we-" he was cut off there, when Nikki swiftly elbowed him in the gut. She didn't need Callen hearing everything about her past that she, herself hadn't even told him yet. She had gathered that, G knew her and Derek had dated, but she didn't want him to know the entirety of their relationship, especially when they were still in Quantico. She had a feeling that G would be the jealous type, and she knew Derek was, so she didn't a fight to break out, especially in her hospital room of all places.

"Nikki, what," Callen started to say, but a glare from his sort of girlfriend, silenced him. Nikki hated keeping him in the dark, but she didn't need the stress of Derek and G fighting on top of everything else. Hotch had told her, when she woke up from her surgery, that her grandparents from her father's side were coming to see her sometime in the next couple of days. Something she didn't really want, whenever they came it was for some reason or just to insult her, about everything and anything that had to do with her, and right now, she really didn't need Derek or G fighting and adding to the assumptions her estranged grandparents already have about her.

She hated them, but they were family, and two of the three family members that she had left. She looked at the floor, trying to keep herself from crying. They did this often enough, that she should have been use to it. They walk back into her life, after something horrific has happened, force feed her bullshit and then, when they think she can finally handle what they came for, they drop the bomb on her and once again she's left in the dust abandoned by her father's family.

"Nikki, what's wrong,' Callen asked. She looked up at him, hoping that he wouldn't notice the tears.

"Nothing, nothing G," she said. He looked at her doubtfully, but let it slide, whatever was hurting her at this point; she would talk when she was ready. It would only make it worse and she even more stressed if he forced her to talk. Derek looked between the two and saw what everyone else did. He saw the secrets that they held from one another about how they feel, and he saw that Callen could help her open up, like she was able to before. G could help her more than he could, and it was then that he finally let go.

"I'll be right back," G said, walking out into the hall. Nikki nodded and got back into her bed. Her pillow now smelt of G's cologne and she smiled to herself. She had been uncomfortable, when she had lay down in this bed before and it felt as if something had been missing, but now she knew what it was. The presence of G, always made her feel safe.

"Nik," Derek said, interrupting her thoughts. She looked at him.

"I just wanted to say goodbye," he smiled at her. She smiled back. He finally understood what she had been trying to tell him earlier. He opened his arms, which immediately fell into, giving him a big hug, before he left.

"I'll always love you Nikki," Derek said, as he gave her a kiss on the forehead. She smiled.

"Me too," she whispered back, before falling back into bed, waiting for G to re-enter the room. As Derek exited, he noticed G, walking back towards the room. He took a deep breath, looked back at Nikki through the door's window and smiled. They deserve each other. Before G could re-enter the room, Derek stopped him.

"I think we got off on the wrong foot," he said, holding his hand out for G to shake. G looked at him and then down at his hand. He smiled at him and shook it.

"Take care of her okay," Derek said. G nodded.

"I will. I love her," he said, reminding Derek of himself, when Rossi and Hotch had asked him to take care of Nikki, when they had started dating. He knew that he had kept Nikki safe the best he could and now he would have to pass on the torch to G. He smiled at him.

"Good." He let go of G's hand and walked down the hall, not bothering to look back, as G entered the room.

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><p>As G re-entered the hospital room, Nikki smiled at him and moved slightly over on the bed, allowing him some room to lie with her. He smiled at her and crawled into the bed, under the covers with her, wrapping her in his arms, and kissing her head. Nikki placed her head on his chest and began running her finger tip up and down his hand, tracing the veins that she could see. G watched as she did so, running his hand through her soft hair.<p>

"Are you okay," he whispered into the dark room.

"I am now," she answered truthfully. His presence always made her feel better. She looked up at him, barely able to make out his face, but even then she felt safe. She knew that she had no reason to feel as if she was in danger. She smiled to herself again. He kept running his fingers through her hair, as her breathing began more calm and even. He could hear the soft snores, signally him that she had fallen asleep under his ministrations. He allowed himself to close his eyes and lay his hand around her waist, keeping him close to her.

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><p>Sam knocked on the door, noticing that the lights were off, and no one else was in there. He didn't want to wake Nikki up, if she was finally getting some rest. According to Hotch, she didn't want to be put under. She had been scared to death that the rescue was all a dream and she would wake up back in that house, locked in that room, still awaiting rescue.<p>

Hetty hated hearing about everything that her granddaughter had gone through, but admitted that she was glad that Beck was dead and Nikki would no longer have to keep looking over her shoulder. To Sam, something felt off about this whole thing, Nikki herself had said that Beck was dead. His file, even had a death certificate with cause of death. A single gun shot wound to the head, but that didn't explain how he was still alive and able to kidnap Nikki and Jack. If he had learned one thing while being in the Marines, it was you never leave a threat alive. Beck had been a threat and they let him walk out the Lang house.

He was extremely angry until he saw the true shock in Tony's eyes. According to the file, Tony had been the one to kill him, but if you actually read Nikki's witness report, once you fiddled through the hysterical thoughts, you could read that Tony had been hit from behind by Beck and was knocked out. He thought that maybe it was easier for Nikki and Tony to believe that Beck had died that night, instead of relive it, but there was something else going on and he needed to talk to Nikki about it all.

When he walked into the hospital room, he looked over to bed and saw that Nikki and G were wrapped in each other's arms, sound asleep. They both looked as if they needed the rest earlier, but he knew that Nikki was slightly afraid of what would happen or what she would wake up too, if she fell asleep, and he also knew that G wouldn't sleep until he was sure that Nikki was fast asleep and getting the rest she needed.

Sam slowly backed out of the room, and silently shut the door. He smiled to himself, he was going to win the bet he made with Deeks. There was no way that the two of them would be able to deny that they loved each other anymore. He would definitely have to treat Nikki and Callen to dinner one of these days with his wife.

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><p>The next morning when Hetty, Kensi, Deeks and Sam were going to go and visit Nikki at the hospital, they were met with a disturbance at the nurse's desk. At the entrance desk stood a woman and a man finely dressed and looking quite snobbish. Hetty recognized them and instantly the look of happiness was replaced with one of anger. Deeks looked at Kensi confused, but noticed quickly that she recognized the couple to and was now joining Hetty in her pursuit of the couple.<p>

"You," Hetty yelled, shocking both Sam and Deeks, "You did this. She is in this hospital, because of you and your god blasted reputation." She was shaking her fist at the man, who was looking down at her just as angrily.

"Hello Henrietta," the gentleman said.

"Don't you dare, 'Hello Henrietta' me, Reginald. Our granddaughter is in this mess because you didn't want to hurt your chances at becoming Secretary of Defense and didn't want to admit that someone was finally able to knock you off that pedestal that you and your wife have put yourselves on," Hetty yelled, glaring at both Reginald and the woman beside him.

"We just want to see Nicole, Henrietta," said the woman.

"Please, Amelia, you just want her to keep her mouth shut, just like you wanted her to the last time," she said pushing past the couple, and over to the nurse's desk, who gladly allowed her to sign in and see her granddaughter.

"Amelia, you care more about your German Sheppards, Missy and General, then you do Nicole, so don't you dare try and play the caring grandmother card," Hetty snapped, shocking Sam and Deeks more. This couple was Nikki's estranged grandparents. They walked over to the group and stood behind the yelling Hetty. Hetty took a deep breath to calm herself down. Then she looked back at the couple.

"Reginald, Amelia, I would like to introduce you to some of Nikki's-"

"Nicole," Reginald said, cutting Hetty off. He did not approve of nicknames. A person was given a name for a reason and pet names or nicknames should never be used.

"co-workers. This is Kensi, Nikki's best friend, and Sam and Deeks, who are also, part of the team that Nikki is on at N.C.I.S," Hetty continued, not caring about Reginald's correction. Nicole hated being called by her full first name, unless it came from Hetty, because she respected her, and Hetty would respect Nikki's wishes, and she also knew how much it bugged Reginald and Amelia to hear Nikki.

"Somewhere, she will no longer be working, once we speak to her," Amelia said. Kensi looked at Amelia. She was dressed in a pant suit, that looked as if it had been custom made.

"And what makes you think that Nikki, will actually listen to you," Deeks said. Hetty looked at him and smiled.

"Exactly, what makes you think that Nikki would leave somewhere where she is appreciated and go to somewhere she'll be forced to keep her mouth shut to protect her grandparents reputation," Hetty asked. Reginald glared at her.

"Because I am the head of the Daniels family and since she is a member, she must abide by what I say-"

"And since when has she actually been a member of your family. You criticize her every chance you get. You made her lie and say that a man who had made her life a living nightmare was dead, when she knew full well that he wasn't and all because YOU didn't want to admit that something finally got to the Daniels family. You were never there for her, when her mother died. You never liked my Cassie, you never liked how you're Brody married for love, rather than reputation like you wanted him too," Hetty snapped.

"Quinn, would have made him a lovely wife," Amelia snapped.

"She would have bored him to the point of suicide, Amelia. The girl was a cold fish, with nothing, but a pretty face, that would turn ugly with time," Hetty snapped, having met the girl that they were reffering to at Brody and Cassie's wedding. They had hoped that Brody would have come to his senses and left Cassie at the alter, once he saw her. That plan had backfired in their faces. Neither one of them seemed to have listened to her though, for they just kept going.

"And once, Nikki marries, Ashton, we can put all this silly business behind us," Amelia finished. The temperature of the front foyer of the hospital seemed to have dropped considerably. The entire LA team was glaring at the elderly couple. Hetty glaring the hardest. She knew that they would try this one of these days, just like Nikki did and now it was time to fight them more than anything.

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><p>That morning, Nikki woke up before Callen. She stretched herself as much as she could without waking him up and then looked up at him and watched him sleep. He looked peaceful and innocent. His lips were slightly opened and he had her hand tightly in his. She smiled and laid her head back down. She listen to his calming rhythmic breathing and allowed herself to fall back to sleep.<p>

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><p>"You're just shipping her off again, so that she won't be you're problem," Hetty snapped. Reginald glared at the smaller woman, who returned his gaze, just as quickly.<p>

"I have never shipped her off-"

"The psychiatrist eight years, the pediatrics ward sixteen years ago, the rehab centre nine years ago," Hetty listed off, "Admit it, when Nikki got to hard to handle. Be it after my husband's death or after her father's or what happened with Beck, you and your wife shipped her off, because she was to much for you to handle, and after you shipped her off, you wouldn't check up on her, because you didn't want to hear her cry her heart out wondering, what she had done to be treated that way, by people who were suppose to love her unconditionally, or what she could have done to have her parents ripped from her at such a young age." Hetty stopped there. She had tears in her eyes, remembering how small Nikki had been nine years ago, after the death of her father. Kensi put a hand on her shoulder.

"You never cared for her, all you cared about was your reputation, how much damage she could have done to it in your eyes," Kensi continued for the elderly woman.

"Who are you to-"

"I'm the woman that the granddaughter you don't deserve to have, has used as a shoulder to cry on, every year, on every birthday and Christmas, when she hasn't even received a card, from the people she thought were suppose take care of her in her times of need. The woman that she rants to every year on September 25th, because her father's parents didn't even have the audacity to call her, when her father, their son died on duty, while undercover at a grocery store, a job that you, Reginald Daniels put him on yourself, or show up to a funeral, that she had to plan at the age of nineteen all by herself, without a shoulder to lean on," Kensi snapped, tears forming in her eyes, as she said it. She hated these people, for doing what they did to Nikki, and the fact that they did it every year made her hate them even more. Deeks wrapped an arm around her, as she began to cry. He pulled her into his chest, allowing her to cry as long as she wanted to. Sam glared at the couple in front of them. He was disgusted by them.

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><p>The next time that Nikki woke, she felt someone's gaze on her. She slowly rubbed the sleep from her eyes and looked up to see G smiling at her. She returned his smile and lifted herself up some, so that she could stretch without hitting him. She could still feel his gaze on her. She turned back to him and smiled, burrowing herself back into his arm and laying her head back against his chest. Once again, he began to play with her hair.<p>

"Have you ever thought about what your life would be like, without you know, Beck," G asked quietly. Nikki thought for a moment. She looked at the wall opposite.

"I don't know, I've never thought about. I guess I always thought that I would have to look over my shoulder, every where I went, just in case he was following me. I never thought that I would live through it," she explained. Callen nodded, and kissed her head, glad that she had lived through the experience. She snuggled into his arms, enjoying having him close.

"Nikki," he said pausing.

"Yeah," she responded.

"What are we," he asked her, unsure of her answer. She took a deep breath and looked up at him. She smiled at him.

"I think you know," she responded. Callen smiled. He did know, but he needed her to say it.

"Say it then," he whispered in her ear. She shivered at the feel of his breath on her neck. She smiled up at him.

"We're together," she whispered. He grinned down at her, kissing her with every ounce of passion that he held for her. Nikki gasped against his lips, loving this side of G, which she saw only every so often. G grinned, before sliding his tongue into her mouth. Neither one of them heard the door open, as they continued to kiss.

"NICOLE BRIDGETTE DANIELS!"

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><p><strong>AN: Uh oh! Looks like trouble for Gikki and a bit of lead up for Densi! I hope you enjoyed the new chapter!**

**xo**


	21. Chapter 21: One Sided Battle Royale

**A/N: Hi Everyone, **

**It apparently wasn't a good night to be a grandparent last night. What with Amelia and Reginald showing up at the hospital and then when my mom and I were eating dinner, we were watching the Secret Circle and Faye's grandfather Harry Chamberlin was found dead in the lake by his house. Is anyone else enjoying watching it? I can't wait to see what happens next.**

**I can't believe how much you all like this story. I'm hoping that you'll enjoy this chapter, just as much as the last one, especially since we'll see some more development in the Gikki (that really is a stupid shipping name, so if anyone can come up with better please mention it to me and we'll start using that) relationship!**

**Enjoy!**

**WARNING: Slight mention of abuse against women.**

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><p><span>Chapter Twenty-One: One Sided Battle Royale<span>

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><p>"NICOLE BRIDGETTE DANIELS," yelled Reginald as he stepped into the hospital room. Nikki pushed G away from her, looking at him with her wide eyes. She turned to look at who screamed her name, and when she saw Reginald, her wide eyed look turned to one of despair. She had been hoping that maybe her father's parents would have forgotten about her, like they usually did and she wouldn't have been forced to see them at all. G looked between the two and noticed that he was getting glared at, by the elderly man. He quickly got up and out of the bed and went to stand out in the hall, but Nikki stopped him.<p>

She placed her hand on his arm, and gave him a look that clearly said, 'If you leave me alone with them, I will make sure that getting bullet holes in Grams' car will be the least of your problems.' He gulped, but stood beside her, as she too got out of the hospital bed.

"Grandfather," she said, the word leaving a bitter taste in her mouth. Reginald glared at Nikki, clearly not likely the way she was dressed.

"Don't you 'Grandfather' me, Nicole Bridgette, what were you doing with that boy's tongue in your mouth," Reginald snapped, with a look of distaste at G. G just looked at the man, the same look of distaste on his face.

"That boy, is my boyfriend, and I will stick my tongue in his mouth if I want to, and you can't stop me," Nikki said, wrapping one of her arms around G. G looked down at her, with a look, that was meant to say 'Please don't bring me into this.' Reginald glared at the intimate placing of her hands and glared at his granddaughter, again. He walked up to the pair and grabbed Nikki by her ear, twisting it slightly. She winced at the pain and quickly let go of G, to bat her grandfather's hand away.

"Nicole, you will break up with boy right now. Your grandmother and I have found you a suitable match and you can now leave N.C.I.S and come with the F.B.I just like your father did," Reginald said rudely. Nikki looked up at the man in front of her, again. She looked at him with complete hatred and it made G glad, that she was looking at him like that. Just then Hetty walked into the room, slightly out of breath.

"Grams, are you okay," Nikki went, running over to her, pushing her grandfather out of her way and ignoring his comment about finding her a suitable match.

"I knew you'd try to get in here," Hetty said, not bothering to answer Nikki, she just continued to look at Reginald, who was fixing his suit jacket, that had come slightly lopsided when Nikki pushed him. Nikki looked at Hetty and then to G. She knew something must have happened when they met somewhere along the way on coming to her room. She should have made the nurses note that anyone with the names Reginald or Amelia, weren't allowed in her room. She nodded towards the door, saying that it was better for them to just leave. G went to follow, when Reginald grabbed the back of his shirt and forcibly turned him around.

G paused to look at him, and then was punched in the face.

"You did this to her, you no good, money stealing, reputation ruining bastard," Reginald yelled at him. Nikki let out a loud squeak as she rushed over to G, who had fallen to the ground surprised by the punch. She leaned over him, looking at his nose and jaw, hoping that they weren't broken. When she was satisfied that the pain was only caused by the shock of the hit, she quickly stood and turned towards her grandfather.

"How dare you," she said, her voice dripping with venom, "How dare you?" G looked up at Nikki, surprised. He had never heard her speak like that. Not even when she spoke of Beck, was her voice filled with that much hatred and anger.

"Nicole Bridgette, that is no-" Amelia, began to speak, when Reginald waved her off. He looked at Nikki with the same hatred that he had looked at her, her entire life. She quickly raised her hand, but then it took all of her control, to put it back down.

"You don't get it do you," Nikki said, looking Reginald right in the eye. She had inherited her mother's height and had to look straight up at him to look him in the eye," You just don't get, that you and grandmother, were the ones that did this to me. You're the ones that made me strong and enabled me to fight against you. You never cared for me, you never cared about what happened to me. I was just that mistake. The burn mark on the Daniels family tree and all because my father didn't do what you wanted, while Aunt Eileen, who was never actually my real Aunt, did exactly what you said she should do. She married for reputation and had perfect children in Hilary and Xavier, but here's a newsflash for you. Those two are not perfect. Hilary's had 3 abortions, but wait you probably knew about that, because you've most likely paid for them and Xavier, he's been in and out of rehab so much he's starting to look like Keith Richards. Oh and Aunt Eileen and Uncle Adam, well they're in the middle of a secret divorce, that you most likely don't know about, and all because he was having an affair with a tattooed stripper." Reginald and Amelia looked as if they had been slapped in the face.

"This entire family is a mess, and instead of dealing with it, you just ship everyone off, or you claim that you have no relation to them," Nikki continued, "I'm done with caring about what you think. I guess maybe 16 years ago was the last I thought that maybe you would have been there for me. Christmases were always a disaster. Hilary and Xavier got every extravagant gift they wanted from you and what did I get, insult after fucking insult. Not even a fucking pair of socks or a fucking lump of coal. And please don't even get me started on you not showing up for dad's funeral. What kind of parent doesn't show up to their own son's funeral? You disgust me and I hate being part of this family. You can take your suitable match and shove it up your ass along with the Daniels family name," Nikki yelled. Reginald looked at and with lightning speed; he slapped her across the face. The entire team, gasped in shock as Nikki raised her hand to her cheek, when he had slapped her.

G glared at him and was about to go after him, when Deeks and Sam, grabbed Nikki and began struggling with her, because she was trying to tackle her grandfather.

"Nikki, breathe, your ribs were cracked. You need to calm down, or you're going to cause further damage to them," Sam said in her ear. She took a deep breath and looked at her estranged grandparents.

"Get out," she snapped, "both of you. I never want to see you again." The elderly couple left quickly, both glaring at her angrily. Nikki calmed down as soon as she saw them leave. She lay down on the bed, leaving Sam and Deeks' arms, to allow her some time to think and as she lay down on her hospital bed, every ounce of sadness she felt that had been caused by the couple that had just left seemed to come out. She began sobbing into her hands and the tears began streaming down her face. G went to walk over to her, but Kensi stopped him and pointed to Hetty, who had walked over to her granddaughter and grabbed one of her hands.

Nikki turned onto her side, looking at Hetty through her red eyes.

"Nikki, you did, what anyone else would have done, when faced with a family like that," Hetty said, "plus, the both of them look like glorified llamas." Nikki laughed at her grandmother's comment and smiled at those in the room.

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><p>A couple of weeks later, found Nikki and Callen standing outside, her house. Nikki was glad to be home. She could now sleep in her own bed, drink from her own glasses, eat off her own plates and use her own utensils and have the privacy of a locked bathroom door. Callen stood behind her, his arms wrapped around her waist, hugging her close to him, kissing her neck, as she unlocked the door.<p>

She giggled, as the stubble on his face tickled her, as he left open mouthed kisses on her neck.

"What are you laughing at," he whispered huskily in her ear. She shivered against him. She opened the door, and turned in his arms. She kissed him squarely on the mouth, grabbing onto the lapels of his jacket and pulling him inside the house. Callen kicked the door behind him, as he left Nikki into the air. She wrapped her legs around his waist, and he walked them up the stairs and into her room, where he gently dropped her on the bed.

She giggled as she bounced slightly. She sat up on her knees, kissing G, again, and began lifting his shirt up, wanting him to take it off. They parted long enough for them to get his shirt off and hers, before they reattached their lips together. She moaned as G, began leaving a trail of hot, opened mouthed kisses down her neck, and began sucking on her pulse point. She tried to concentrate on making quick work of his belt, but then G lifted her again, and sat down on the bed himself, placing her in his lap.

She smiled down at him, kissing him slowly on the lips, as he leaned back, lying them down on the bed.

* * *

><p>Nikki and Callen were wrapped in each other's arms, the sheets tangled in their legs. She had her head on his chest again, kissing his chest every so often, as he ran his fingers through her hair. She smiled up at him, kissing him on the lips again. He smiled into the kiss again, and rolled them over, so that Nikki was on her back and he was above her. Nikki loved the feel of having his weight, pushed so intimately against hers. He continued kissing her, trailing wet kisses down her neck, chest and stomach. He stopped there and looked up at her.<p>

She smiled at him, caressing his face with her hand. He was about to continue kissing down her body, when her cell phone rang. Both of them groaned at the intrusion.

"Ignore it," G moaned, as he climbed back up her body, kissing her as he went.

"I just want to see who it is," Nikki said, grabbing it off the nightstand. He continued to kiss her neck, while she looked at the caller ID. It was Kensi and she was sure that Kensi wouldn't mind, as long as she explained it to her later, but then she noticed that there was a 911 text from Kensi as well. The 911 text was the code they came up with a long time ago, whenever one of them would have an emergency.

"I have to take this," Nikki whispered. G groaned, but rolled off her anyway. She smiled at him sheepishly, but answered the phone anyway.

"What's wrong, Kens….WHAT? Where?...When?...How?...You didn't?...Kensi, I have to say I'm proud of you, who knew that you'd do something like that….Oh really and you're timing was just perfect, as well…..What?...No, I'm being sarcastic…..What do you mean I can't do sarcasm. I'm the Queen of sarcasm…..And I'm the fucking Queen of Iceland…..Stop, please I don't need the encyclopedia explanation…..Kensi...KENSI!...Don't you what me…..Okay goodbye….Wait, was that him...Kensi, please tell me you didn't…..GROSS! I did not need to hear that...Goodbye Kensi….GODBYE!"

"What was that about," G asked, as he rolled over to look at her fully. Nikki made the motion that she was zipping her lips and throwing away the key.

"I can't tell. Plus I don't want to scare you, the same way she did me," Nikki replied back. G smiled at her and wrapped her in his arms.

"I thank you," he said smiling, looking up at the ceiling. She smiled.

"No problem, good sir."

* * *

><p>Kensi rolled onto her side, after putting her cell phone in her purse. She looked at her bed mate, the way he his hair fell into his eyes, and twitched his nose every time he snored. She smiled, but then frowned. She shouldn't have done this, especially not with him. He was her partner and she just complicated the job. She allowed feelings to get involved. She had been glad that it had happened when she had called Nikki, but now that she had thought about it, she regretted it. In their type of work, they couldn't complicate the partnerships. It could put their lives in jeopardy if they let feelings get involved.<p>

She slowly and silently got out of the bed, glad that they had done this at his place, rather than at hers. She slowly got dressed and gathered her things. Kensi looked back at him one more time, he had grabbed his pillow and was now cuddling with it. If it hadn't proof that they had slept together, she would have snapped a photo for blackmail, but instead, she quietly crept from the bedroom, threw Monty a biscuit and quietly left the house, sending Nikki a text, telling her to meet her, at the coffee shop down the street. She needed to talk to her best friend.

* * *

><p>Nikki and Callen groaned again, when they heard her cell phone beep, but Nikki knew Kensi and the way her mind worked. She knew that Kensi was now starting to regret, actually doing what she did, especially because it can start to complicate things, especially since they're partners and if Hetty were to find out, they would have to change partners and if there was a chance that Nikki was partnered with him, they couldn't chance it. Especially since Kensi can put up with him and Nikki would just put a bullet in his brain or hers, depending on if she wanted to cause him less or more pain.<p>

"I have to look at the text. I know Kensi, trust me G, it'll be better in the long run, if I answer the first one," Nikki said, pushing herself away from him. Callen groaned again, but rolled off her anyways.

"How do you know, it's even Kensi," G asked, as he rolled onto his side to watch her.

"Because I know my best friend, plus we're both girls. You don't think I did this to her, when I first got here," Nikki said, reading the text. She groaned at what it said, but knew how Kensi's worked. Kensi would keep bugging her and bugging her until she got what she wanted and that would mean, she'd never get to back to what her and G were doing and in the long run going when she first asked, would be A LOT easier. She stood wrapping the sheet around her, causing Callen to smirk at her. She smiled at him and then began to get dressed. He pouted at her jokingly.

"What are you doing," Callen asked, sitting up to watch her.

"I have to meet Kensi, she's having regrets and if I don't go now, she'll just keep bugging us, until I do," Nikki explained, as she pulled her top on. Callen groaned and lied back on the bed.

"I know, I know. Best friends suck, but not like you wouldn't leave me, if Sam or Deeks needed you," Nikki said, kissing his head, as she grabbed her purse, that he had thrown onto the armchair.

"I wouldn't leave you naked in bed, even if they needed me….well maybe if Sam needed me, I would, but definitely not Deeks," G said. Nikki laughed.

"Keep joking, you might just get him as a new partner, especially if Kensi doesn't get talked out of regretting it," Nikki, said before quickly walking out the bedroom door, leaving Callen to contemplate what she had just said.

* * *

><p>Nikki walked into the small coffee shop and saw Kensi sitting at a table by the window, two Nesteas and chocolate éclairs in front of her. She smiled at her best friend. She was so predictable sometimes. Nikki rolled her eyes and then went to go sit with her best friend.<p>

"You know, Kens, eating won't get rid of the regret, it'll just make it bearable," Nikki said as she sat down, taking one of the éclairs, from Kensi. Kensi looked at her and laughed.

"You always were prompt," Kensi said, as she took a sip of iced tea.

"Now, tell me what you want, cause I had to leave a naked boyfriend in my bed for you," Nikki said, before taking a bite out of the chocolate éclair. Kensi looked shocked for a moment and then let it go. It was only going to be a matter of time, before Callen and Nikki slept together. It just happened to be sooner or later.

"Nikki, I need you to either switch partners with me, or become my new partner," Kensi said, putting her iced tea on the table. Nikki looked at Kensi, while she too took a sip of the iced tea that Kensi had bought for her.

"Why," Nikki asked.

"Because I slept with Deeks," Kensi whispered.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So there we go, chapter twenty-one and Densi makes an appearance, kind of, and Nikki and G, took a big step in their relationship. Hoped you enjoyed it.**

**xo**


	22. Chapter 22: The Cherry Pie Video

**A/N: Hi Everyone, **

**Did everyone watch 'Greed' last Tuesday night? When Hetty was teaching Deeks and Kensi how to waltz and then turned on Callen and Sam to teach them how to dance together, all I could picture is Nikki sitting on the sideline (obviously because her doctor hasn't cleared her to do any kind of work….and Hetty wouldn't make her do anything, until she was cleared for work [the perks of being the boss' granddaughter]) laughing her ass off, and Callen looking at her to save him, but she's to busy laughing at thought of Sam and Callen of them dancing. **

**I know the Chapter title makes absolutely no sense, but you'll get it eventually and if you already haven't heard Jon Bon Jovi and Leanne Rimes' duet, 'Til We Ain't Strangers Anymore' I suggest you look it up in the next couple of chapters, because I think that it fits Callen and Nikki perfectly. **

**Anyways, enough of the author ramblings…..onto the story…..**

**Enjoy!**

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><p><span>Chapter Twenty-Two: The Cherry Pie Video<span>

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><p>Nikki sat on the bench in the gym, listening to her Grams explain how the waltz was revolutionary when it first came popular. She had heard it all before and didn't care much to hear it again. She knew it was rude, but really if you'd heard it once, you DID NOT need to hear it again. She watched as Deeks twirled Kensi around. She knew that Kensi was still regretting sleeping with Deeks, but she had spoken to her and made it bearable, so that no one would NEED to switch partners. As much as Nikki liked Deeks, she did not like him enough to put up with him. She had no idea how Kensi put up with him, but she knew that Kensi put up with him, because she loved him, even though her theme song at this point was 'I Won't Say I'm in Love' from that Hercules movie that Disney made.<p>

"Deeks is stepping on my foot," Kensi snapped, as Hetty had them continue to dance around the room. Nikki rolled her eyes. Kensi has been screeching that since they began and really, they should stop talking about high heels and bikinis, cause this is making it even more uncomfortable, especially the way that Deeks is acting. Nikki looked at Callen out of the corner of her eye. He wasn't watching Deeks and Kensi dance, or at Hetty who was making flowing motions with her hands, that made her look like she was doing the hula, or at Sam who was looking at Deeks and Kensi in utter fascination, that two people could dance so badly. He was looking at her, and rolling his eyes at Grams' behaviour. She smiled back at him and then shook her head.

"Mr. Hanna, Mr. Callen, I would like to teach you how to waltz…with each other," Hetty said, turning to the two partners. Nikki almost burst out laughing, when she heard that. She looked at G and Sam. Sam was laughing, but Callen was looking at Hetty in shock. A huge smile came across Nikki's face, as she began to picture the two of them dancing around the gym in a romantic dance. Nikki began to giggle, and then laugh loudly. Callen looked at her, but then back at Hetty.

"She's not serious," Sam said, looking at Callen. G looked at Hetty again, and saw that there was no hint of laughter on her face.

"She's not kidding," Callen said, looking at Sam. Nikki continued to laugh, now clutching her sides, as she sat on the sidelines, unable to control herself.

"Now face each other, and Mr. Hanna, please place your hand on Mr. Callen's waist," Hetty said, a very serious look on her face. Nikki's laughter was joined now by Kensi and Deeks.

"Hetty, no,' Callen said, pointing a finger at Sam. Sam and Callen both had dumb founded looks on their face. Nate walked in at that moment, hearing the music. He chuckled slightly, guessing what Hetty was trying to do. Nikki had calmed down some, needing to breathe. Nate walked over to her, and offered his hand.

"My lady, may I have this dance," Nate asked. Nikki looked at him. She smiled, taking his hand and allowing him to lead her into the middle of the make-shift dance floor. The two of them danced quite gracefully, the entire team taking notice. Hetty smiled. Nikki had loved to dance when she was smaller, a love that she had taken from her grandfather. She had stopped at 13 after the accident. It was nice to see that she was finally get past things.

Nate lead Nikki around the dance floor, neither one of them stepping on each other's feet, they were so lost in the music, that didn't even notice, when Hetty had changed the song to a faster tempo, they just adapted and allowed the music to lead them, rather than them thinking about the steps. Callen looked at the two of them in amazement, he had no idea, that Nikki could dance like that. Hetty gave Deeks and Kensi a look, and they soon joined Nate and Nikki dancing around the gym. While it was less graceful and much more painful it allowed Hetty time to now try and get Sam and Callen to join them. Callen kept shaking his head, not going to join them and then Nikki and Kensi got a look in their eyes.

"Hey Kens," Nikki called over the music.

"Yeah, Nik," Kensi answered.

"Do you remembered that dance, that you and I, and a couple of undercover operatives had to do like three years ago," Nikki said getting that mischievous look in her eyes, that only Kensi and Hetty have ever seen up until this point.

"Yeah…I think," Kensi said, sort of hesitantly.

"The one where we-"

"Yeah, I remember," Kensi cutting Nikki off. The guys looked at the two girls, completely unaware of what they were talking about.

"You think that bar is still open, and we could go back and be Tammy, the Russian tease and Rachel, the New York bitch," Nikki said teasing Kensi. Kensi blushed a little.

"Wait, what," asked Deeks, hearing Russian tease and New York bitch. Nikki looked at him and signaled him to shut up.

"Nikki, you got charged with pummeling some guy for grabbing your ass," Kensi gasped, as she started to laugh remembering some of their antics in that bar.

"Oh please, Kensi, you enjoyed it. Dancing on the bar every night, squirting water at drunk patrons, when they grabbed our asses, video taping guys that were making fools out of themselves, making videos of us doing those dances and then watching it, while we were in our hotel room, laughing our asses off, and having pillow fights-"

"Wait, pillow-" Deeks paused, biting his fist. Nikki looked at his face and started laughing, Kensi joining in. Both of them started killing themselves laughing at his face and then Nikki took a look at Callen, he looked as if he was laughing himself. Nikki smirked at Kensi, and pointed at G. Kensi laughed.

"It's not like you'd be able to visit G," Kensi said. G stopped laughing and looked at the pair.

"Yeah, as 'coyotes', we have to look like we're available, but never actually BE available. And one of the rules is we're never allowed to bring our boyfriends into the bar," Kensi said, the two girls wrapped their arms around each other's waist and walked out of the gym, leaving the boys to their fantasies. Then something dawned on Callen.

"Did she say there were videos of the two of them," Callen asked, watching the door. Deeks nodded dumb founded. Who knew Kensi had it in her, to act like that.

"We need Eric," Callen and Deeks said simultaneously.

* * *

><p>Kensi and Nikki giggled, their way to OPS, where they found Eric and Nell. They were watching a camera feed, of Kansas and the tornados that had hit. Nikki knew that the BAU team was there and it scared her. She hated tornados and the damaged they caused. They could tear families apart and would leave a mess in their wake. Coming from a torn family herself, she hated it. She quickly pulled out her cell phone, and dialed Aaron's home number.<p>

Jack leaned on Nikki a lot now, ever since their kidnapping. She would never try to replace Hailey in the boy's life, but she knew he would need some assurance that his dad was okay, and nothing was going to happen to him. She herself knew that no one was invincible, but that wasn't going to stop her from letting Jack think that his dad was. She may hate lying to him, but she wanted him to keep his innocence for as long as time would allow. She was about to walk out of OPS and call Jack's grandmother's house, when she bumped into Callen and Deeks, who were running to OPS.

"What are you doing," she asked, forgetting about calling Jack.

"Nothing," Deeks said, trying to sound smooth. Nikki looked at him skeptically.

"I know what you're doing," Nikki said, pocketing her cell phone.

"Yeah, what," Callen challenged. Nikki gave him a look.

"You're going to try and get Eric to find that footage of Kensi and I, dancing in that bar, but you know what it won't work," Nikki said, pulling her cell phone back out of her pocket when it began to ring.

"We weren't going to do that…but if we were, why wouldn't it work," Deeks said, trying to sound as if he wasn't disappointed that Nikki had found out their plan and was now going to make sure that Eric would never help them.

"Because Kensi and I, are the only ones that have copies of the tape. And I personally won't be showing you Deeks," she said, leaning into G, to have a hug.

"And what about me," G whispered in her ear. She smiled up at him.

"You, I'll show, in person," she whispered back, kissing him slightly. He grinned at the thought, and began kissing her passionately. Deeks stared at the awkwardly. He tried clearing his throat, but neither one paid him any attention. Eric walked out of OPS to see the two of them making out with Deeks watching.

"I think you both need an office with a door, that way, I WON'T KEEP CATCHING YOU," Eric yelled, causing Nikki to yelp and push Callen away from her. She had no doubt that Grams' had heard and that was the LAST thing she needed right now. Callen grinned at Eric, wrapping his arms around her, as she buried her in his neck at the embarrassment of Eric catching them a second time, and the fact that they had kissed in front of Deeks. Callen thought it was funny, but let her bury her head.

"I need to go get Hetty, access has just been granted," Eric said, running down the hall. Nikki looked up and then smacked Deeks.

"OW! What was that for," he asked, rubbing his arm. Nikki glared at him.

"For watching an intimate moment between G and I," she said, before walking into OPS. Deeks gave a Callen a look of shock, but Callen just ignored him, and walked into OPS after Nikki, who was looking at the screen again. She watched as the storm ripped through Kansas, leaving nothing, but damage in it's wake. Hetty and the rest of the team walked in at that moment. Hetty handed Nikki a file with a small encouraging smile on her face. Nikki returned it. She looked at the file, and saw that the team would be entering Mexico. She smiled. She was glad that she wasn't cleared for work yet. The heat in Mexico alone would have made a disaster of her hair.

Hetty could see that Nikki was smiling slightly. She knew that Nikki would be glad that she didn't have to go into sweltering heat. Callen could see that she was smiling too, but he had no idea why. He guessed it was because of the fact that she wouldn't have to deal with Deeks' constant complaining.

* * *

><p>"You be careful okay," Nikki said, kissing Callen softly, as the team got ready to leave for Mexico.<p>

"Shouldn't I be the one telling you to be careful, you were kidnapped not even a month ago," Callen replied, kissing her again. She smiled at him, leaning into his embrace.

"I'll be fine. I'm not the one going into drug cartel territory," Nikki replied, looking up at him. Callen looked down at Nikki skeptically. She smiled at him again.

"G, I'm serious, I will be fine, plus if anything happens to me, you will be the first to know after Tony. You know that he calls me every ten minutes, just to make sure I haven't gone round the river bend," she said. And just as she finished her phone began to ring.

"Right on time," she said sarcastically picking up her phone, smiling at G, as she wiggled her fingers at him. He waved his goodbye back at her, watching as she re-entered the building. Sam came to stand beside him, smiling as he watched the exchange between the couple. He smacked Callen on the shoulder, causing him to look at Sam.

"You've got it bad for her, don't you," Sam asked smirking at him. Callen looked back at the door, to where Nikki entered the building. She was safe there and that's what he was glad about.

"Yeah," he said, smiling to himself. Sam smirked at him again. He shook his head, getting into the car. Callen got in as well.

"Don't mess it up G," Sam said, as he turned the card. Callen looked at him and waited a moment before he responded. He began to think about everything that could possibly go wrong in their relationship. Several possibilities ran through his head, as Sam began to drive to the border. He thought about what both of them had gone through to get to this point, but he wouldn't have had it any other way. He was glad that Nikki had been by his side, when he found out that the Comescues were after him. He was glad that he had been the one that helped her through her nightmares when she first got home from her kidnapping. He was glad that every single obstacle that they faced together, came down easier, than one he faced by himself. He opened his mouth, but then quickly closed it.

"Say, what you wanna say G," Sam said, as he watched him continue to open and close his mouth, multiple times.

"What do you think, Hetty would say, if I asked for Nikki's hand in marriage?"

* * *

><p>Nikki smiled at her desk, looking at the flowers that Callen had brought her earlier that morning, hoping to surprise her when he went to visit her at home, when he finished working, but she had surprised him, by showing up at the office. Hetty walked into the bull pen to see her granddaughter starring dreamily at the dozen white roses that sat on her desk. Hetty smiled and then walked back out. She knew that the two of them had begun to get quite serious, and the fact that Mr. Beale had caught them making out twice at the office was no coincidence.<p>

As much as Nicole tried to hide it from her, she knew mostly everything. She knew how, when Nikki had nightmares, following her week with Beck, she wouldn't call Mr. Dinozzo , like she used to, she had called Mr. Callen. And she knew that Mr. Callen didn't leave her alone, most of the time, during her stay at home. He was there every single night, eating dinner with her, and watching movies. They were using this time to get to know everything about one another. And that was how the dozen white roses had found their way to Nikki's desk.

They had always been her favourite flower, ever since she was a little girl and her mother use to grow them in the garden every year. She loved the way they smelt and how soft the petals felt against her face. After Cassie died, the plant died and the white roses stopped growing every year. Nikki had found it fitting. The death of the white roses symbolized the death of her mother and she could no longer look at a white rose without crying, but along the way she stopped seeing them as the symbol of her mother's death and more as a symbol for her mother, always being there for her.

Back when she lived in Washington, she had tried to grow them, but she never had the patience that her mother had. She didn't want to sit and pruin the plant to help it grow. She never had the time either. She was always at work or at Tony's, but never actually in her apartment to nurture the plant herself. Hetty watched as Nikki began to rearrange the flowers so that they were able to breathe a little. She was humming softly.

Hetty smiled again, walking out of the bull pen, leaving Nikki to her own devices.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: There you go everyone, an update just before tomorrow's episode. Tune in next time, to see what Sam's reaction to Callen's question and more Densi drama. I've also been working on a make-shift wedding plan for Nikki and Callen, PM me if you would like to see it. Be sure to include your e-mail, name and a message for the couple and I'll publish "The Guestbook" in one of the following chapters or as a completely different story. **

**xo**


	23. Chapter 23: Think About This, G

**A/N: Hi Everyone, **

**I almost died when I saw Tuesday night's episode. Sam looks so….broken, no pun intended, and did you see the promo for next week….if you haven't look it up like NOW! Also, if you saw last night's Criminal Minds, the case that Sam, G and Nikki end up working on it extremely similar, but I had to change some of it, so that way it could fall under NCIS jurisdiction.**

**Enjoy!**

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><p><span>Chapter Twenty-Three: Think About This, G<span>

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><p>Sam almost swerved off the road, when he heard the words that came out of Callen's mouth. He quickly regained control of the car, but didn't look at G. His thoughts were going a mile a minute and his mouth slightly open. G looked a little nervous, but he knew that he had sprung the question on Sam and when it came to his past, he was sure that it had come as a definite surprise. He chuckled though at the look on Sam's face.<p>

"Did you just say, that you were thinking about asking Hetty for Nikki's hand in marriage," Sam asked to clarify what he had just heard. Callen nodded beside him. Sam kept looking at him and the back at the road. He closed his eyes, for a second and then re-opened them. He pulled over. He didn't want to cause an accident, but he didn't think Callen was thinking rationally and he was letting his past experiences get the better of him, especially the ones that he almost lost Nikki.

"G, have you actually thought this through," Sam asked, as Kensi and Deeks pulled up behind them. G looked through the side mirror on the passenger side, to see Kensi and Deeks approaching the car to see what's wrong. G quickly looked to Sam.

"Not a word of this, to Kensi…or a matter of fact Deeks, I doubt he'll be able to keep this a secret, and Nikki would get it out of him in a second," G said, before either of their fellow agents could reach the car. Sam looked at like he was crazy, but he also doubted Deeks, secret keeping skills, when it came to something like this and the fact that Kensi was Nikki's best friend, and they told each other everything and even though Kensi would try to keep it from her, cause she'll want to see the surprised look on her face, if Callen gets down on one knee, but it would inevitably come out and Nikki would know….and she would be really disappointed if G never does propose, causing something that no one on the team wanted to handle, a break up between Nikki and Callen. He nodded and turned to the window to face Deeks, who had tapped on the window.

"Guys, what's wrong," Kensi asked, as she leaned down to look inside the car. Callen shook his head.

"Nothing, nothing at all, we just need to go back, you guys go ahead" he said, causing Kensi to look at him weird. Sam just shook his head. He understood why he didn't want the pair to know, what he was thinking, but really that was no way to throw them off the trail. Sam looked at him, but hearing Deeks groan about the heat, messing with his hair and skin, he smiled, pulled a u-turn and went back to OPS. When they were back on the road, he shook his head at G.

"Why didn't you just try and take sick leave with her," Sam asked.

"I tried, Hetty wouldn't let me."

* * *

><p>Back at OPS, Nikki was sitting at her desk, looking at the roses, when she felt someone watching her. She looked around and saw that no one was with her. She could see that Gram's was in her office, and that she was on the phone, but she felt like she was being watched. She felt the hair on the back of her neck, stand up and she felt an uncomfortable shiver go down her back. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. It was nothing, she was just becoming paranoid. She was so used to having to look over her should every second, that she had grown accustomed to it. She shook her head, and sat back down at her desk. She opened her laptop.<p>

On her desktop screen, was a picture of her and Callen, laughing and holding one another. She frowned slightly as she opened the case file, that Derek had sent to her, about a week ago. She felt like she had seen this case before. A little girl had been taken, from her front yard, while her and her best friend had been playing hide and seek. She couldn't remember where she had seen or heard about it before. She read through the file, but it kept getting more familiar. The kid was a navy brat just like her, and her mother a widow. The father had died in Afghanistan and he was a Navy seal. Nikki's brow furrowed. She scrolled back up the case file report and looked at the date. November 15, 2004. This case was seven years old, and that's why it looked so familiar. She had been the one that had written this report. She shook her head.

"Why did Derek send me a cold case file," she murmured, trying to make sense of it all. She was about to reach for the phone to call him, when she felt two strong arms wrap themselves around her. She jumped in surprise, but instantly calmed down when she recognized the embrace.

"Hi," he whispered in her ear. She smiled.

"Hi."

"Sorry if I scared you," he said. She turned around to face him.

"You didn't scare me, I was just elsewhere," she said, looking back at her computer screen. Callen recognized the look on her face. Whatever was on her computer screen was bugging her. Callen looked at it, and saw that it was case file from 2004.

"It was never solved," Nikki explained, as Callen and now Sam, looked at it. She took a deep breath.

"About seven years ago, when I started working with Gibbs' team, we had been given a case, about this little girl, that had been kidnapped during a game of hide and seek in her front yard with her best friend. It was on the Norfolk base, so it fell into our hands. We had no idea, how someone other then Naval operative could get on the base, but it seemed like they had. We had looked through countless hours of surveillance tapes of the front gate around the time that she had been kidnapped, but we saw nothing out of the ordinary. We had searched all of the houses, but Hope Crawford was never found. We took every lead we could, but they all ended up dry. We were forced to close the case and leave it cold," Nikki explained.

"Who sent you this," Sam asked.

"Derek, but I have no idea why," Nikki said, "I was about to call him, when you two showed up." The three starred at them. Nikki had a spaced out look on her face.

* * *

><p><em>Nikki ran her fingers through her hair, combing through the evidence that she had in front of her with a fine tooth comb. There was something about this case that bugged her. She knew that Norfolk has surveillance at the entrance and all guests had to sign in and out, but it was like he lived there, but Gibbs had already run an entire base search, looking in every single home, but that little girl was never found. She looked at the note, that was left for the best friend, with the butterfly necklace.<em>

_Tony walked up behind her, with a large coffee and a slice of pizza._

"_Nikki, you need to rest," Tony said softly, taking the evidence bag from her hands. Nikki looked at him, and then back at the necklace that was in there. There had to be a significant meaning to the butterflies, but she just couldn't see it._

"_Nikki, you need sleep, you're running on coffee and sugar," Tony tried again._

"_No Tony, what I need to do is find this little girl and bring her back to her mother," Nikki muttered._

"_Nikki, this case is getting colder by the day, and that little girl could be-" He was cut of when Nikki smacked him across the face._

"_Don't you dare give up on Hope. No little girl should ever be alone, no unless she has too," Nikki said, before taking a sip of the coffee that Tony had brought her. Her placed a hand on the cheek that she had smacked. He covered her hand with his, causing her to look at him. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath._

"_I will never give up that in some way Hope is still alive, but Nikki, is this about you losing your mother or are you actually thinking about getting Hope home," Tony asked. Nikki looked at him in shock. She glared at him, and then got up quickly, picking the chair up as she did and she threw it across the room, with all the strength that she could muster, but then she watched as the chair went tumbling across the room, smashing against the wall, and she broke down in tears. Tony got up from his chair, not at all bothered by her out burst, and cradled her in his arms and rocked her back and forth until she calmed down._

"_We'll find her Nikki, we'll find her…"_

* * *

><p>Callen and Sam looked at Nikki worriedly, as she continued to have the spaced out look on her face, but then her computer began to ring incessantly. Nikki shook her head and was brought out of her chance, she pushed Callen and Sam softly away from her computer, so that she could pick up the call. When she answered, a blonde woman with blue eyeshadow was on the screen.<p>

"Penelope, what's wrong," Nikki asked, not bothering with a greeting. She could see that the blonde computer analyst was distraught and it worried her.

"Derek, told me that you worked the Hope Crawford disappearance eight years ago," Penelope said. Nikki wasn't surprised, she knew that Derek had sent her the old case file for a reason.

"Yeah, I did," Nikki answered.

"Her mother-"

"Monica," Nikki confirmed.

"Yeah, well she was taken yesterday. We think that it may be the same guy that took Hope, seven years ago," Penelope answered. Nikki's heel that had been rest on her chair slipped off, when she said that.

"Did anyone get a visual of him," Nikki asked. Penelope shook her head.

"He seemed to know where all the cameras were and avoided them,' Penelope answered. Nikki thought about the case seven years ago, there had been this man truck that no one had been able to identify the driver, right around the time that Hope had been kidnapped, and when they tried to trace the plates, they had found out the van was stolen. They had never found the van. Nikki tried to remember anything that stuck in her mind that could help them try and find Monica, and maybe even Hope.

"Penelope, did you see what kind of vehicle, this guy was driving. We couldn't find a burgundy rundown caravan. It had been stolen about a week before Hope's kidnapping and the only vehicle we could account for, when we had looked through the Naval base and we were never able to place it afterward," Nikki asked. Callen and Sam exchanged a look above her. She knew what she was doing, they knew that, but this kind of case, seemed to be her element. Penelope looked through the gas station video again.

"Nicole," said a voice behind the three of them. Nikki's eyes shifted from the computer screen to looking over her shoulder. She turned around to see Hetty standing there, her hands at her side.

"The Crawford disappearance is no longer your case," Hetty said. Nikki looked at Hetty, and then went back to Penelope. Callen and Sam shared a look, scared of what was going to happen. Nikki and Hetty have never gone head to head before in front of them and they were unaware of what would happen.

"Nicole," Hetty said again. Nikki turned around fully.

"Grams, this is the only case that I was never able to solve in my time in Washington. I need to know if that little girl is safe, and Penelope is my friend and she is friend's with Monica, the mother of that little girl. I not only owe it to Hope, but I owe it to Monica, to bring them justice and peace and if you try to stop me, you'll have to fire me, because I won't stop until that little girl is found and brought home, alive or dead," Nikki said. Grandmother and granddaughter continued to look at one another, waiting for the other to cave. Sam and Callen looked at one another again, waiting for a blow up to ensue, when out of the corner of their eyes, they saw Hetty shrug, as if to say 'If you must,' leaving them both stunned. Nikki got Hetty to cave.

"Take Mr. Callen and Mr. Hanna with you, you'll all need a fresh pair of eyes for this case," Hetty said. Nikki nodded and tapped her nose, knowing exactly what Grams was doing. Callen and Sam walked with Nikki over to the door, after she stopped to say, goodbye to Penelope and turned her laptop off and putting it in her bag.

'_Finally,_' thought Nikki, '_Finally, __Hope __Crawford __will __be __able __to __go __home __to __her __mother_.'

"So, are you going to tell us, what happened back there," Callen asked, as Nikki drove them to the airport, where the BAU had sent their plane for them. Nikki looked at him slightly confused.

"When you spaced out, Nik," he clarified. It dawned on her face, what he meant. She looked at the rearview mirror.

"I was thinking about the night, before we had to close the case," Nikki said, "Tony and I stayed late, going over the evidence, seeing if there was anything that we hadn't looked at. We couldn't identify the driver of the only vehicle that we couldn't find at Norfolk, the plates were registered to a Brandy Valentine, and she had an air tight alibi and that put her at her mother's house at the time of the vehicle, but she had told us the van had been stolen a week before the actual kidnapping. Who ever took Hope, had gone through a lot of trouble to get her, but we had no idea what to do. That was the only lead that we had left and without the van, we couldn't go any farther," Nikki explained, as she pulled off of the high way.

"Was there anything that really stuck out," Sam asked from the backseat.

"A couple days after her kidnapping, the same van showed up at the Norfolk base, and left about five minutes later, but we still couldn't see the driver and the plates were different this time. The plates were now registered to a Phillip Simon, but he too had an air tight alibi for the time of the kidnapping and the return," Nikki said.

"Why does that stick out in your mind," Callen asked. It was a weird thing, to stick out in someone's mind.

"Because of why he returned," Nikki said, "The day, that Hope was kidnapped, she had been playing hide and seek with her best friend. When he returned, he had a left a note and a butterfly necklace on the little girl's bike, thanking her for "helping him set Hope free." When I got on the scene with Tony, the little girl was so distraught at the thought that she had helped this monster take her best friend, she almost passed out from lack of oxygen."

"Did you rule out the father," Sam asked.

"There was no father. Alex Crawford died in Afganistan in six months before," Nikki explained, parking the car.

"What about the mother?"

"We ruled her out with in the first week of the investigation. She was too distraught for a mother that had killed her own daughter and faked a kidnapping, plus the best friend, said the she had seen a man taking pictures of her and Hope a week before the kidnapping, while they were playing in the park. He was too far away for her to be able to give a good enough description to a sketch artist, so we weren't able to follow that lead," Nikki said, pulling her bag from the trunk of the car.

"Were there any prints on the necklace," Callen asked. Nikki nodded.

"We were able to pull of a partial print, but whoever this guy was, he wasn't in the system, and we checked every single database we had at our disposal," Nikki explained.

"How did you know, she wasn't anywhere on the base," Sam asked, as he pulled his bags out.

"The entire base had their houses searched, and by that point we had become desperate to find her. It was passed the point where she could still possibly be alive, but at this point, if we found her dead it would have been better than not at all," Nikki said, as she watched Callen grab his bags, before she closed the trunk and put the alarm on.

"We'll find her Nik and her mother too."

* * *

><p>"So, when are we going to talk about a couple of weeks ago," Deeks asked, as they followed some tracks, almost all the way to the border, as he walked behind Kensi, looking at her ass, most of the way. Kensi groaned. Ever since, they had slept together and she had snuck out, Deeks kept wanting to talk about it, but she just wanted to avoid the topic all together.<p>

"Never," Kensi answered, as she continued walking, "and stop staring at my ass." Deeks looked up straight away and then watched as she bent down to look at where the tracks stopped. She glared at him.

"It looks like the shooter, but their ATV on a truck and then drove onto the highway," Kensi, said pointing at the road, off in the distance.

"You know it would be a whole lot easier, if you just talk about it," Deeks said. Kensi groaned again and tried calling OPS, but got no signal, but she saw the last message on her phone. It was from Nikki.

'_Off __to __Virgina, __with __G __and __Sam, __for __a __cold __kidnapping __case. __I __think __it__'__s __time __you __have __that __talk __with __Deeks __and __don__'__t __kill __him. __Have __fun __and __use __protection__:D_' It was official. She hated her best friend and she was going to kill Deeks, no matter what Nikki said and how much it was against the law.

* * *

><p>Nikki had changed from her office clothes and was now in some sweat pants and a tank top for the flight. She sat comfortably next to Callen, who had his arms around her, as they lay on the couch on the plane. Sam was playing with a deck of cards that Nikki had packed in case she got bored.<p>

"Yo, G," Sam said, as Nikki walked past him to go and use the bathroom.

"Yeah," Callen answered, as he watched Nikki walk away.

"Just remember, that you two aren't the only ones on this plane."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Another chapter done. Cyper cookies and hugs for my reviewers. **

**xo**


	24. Chapter 24: Fucking Finally

**A/N: Hey Everyone, **

**It's Monday, once again, while I'm writing this, I'm beginning to lose ideas, after I finish the Crawford disappearance case, I have no idea, what to do afterwards. Anyways…..as to what I'm trying to say…if you have any ideas on what I should do (besides marriage, I'm trying to hold that off, for a few more chapters) PM me and let me know.**

**ENJOY!**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Twenty-Four: Fucking Finally<span>

* * *

><p>Though it was a short flight from California to Virginia, Nikki had fallen asleep in Callen's arms, while the three of them relaxed on the plane. Callen and started to watch while she slept, loving how peaceful and innocent she looked. She didn't look so broken, like she usually did. In the time, they spent alone together, they had learned a lot about one another. He knew that Nikki loved white roses, and her favourite colour was a deep red. Her favourite book series, was the Darkest Powers Series, but only the ones with Chloe Saunders. Her favourite TV show was three way tie between, Supernatural, Vampire Diaries and Glee. Her favourite movie, was Practical Magic and she often watched it when she was upset.<p>

He loved everything about her. She was smart, funny, beautiful and so down to earth. He wanted to protect her from everything, but he knew that she could hold her own. Sam watched the way that Callen watched Nikki while she slept. He shook his head, those two were made for each other and it wasn't that they were denying it, but what frustrated him, was one was waiting for the other foot to fall and see what negative thing could come of this and the other was moving to fast, desperately trying to keep the other from feeling like they were pulling away. It would only take three guesses to figure out, which one was which and the first two wouldn't count.

Sam made his origami animals, while he watched Callen and Callen watched Nikki. He hoped the these two would stay together, but he just couldn't shake the feeling, that this case, would shake Nikki to her very core and it would lead their relationship down a rocky path.

* * *

><p>The plane landed half an hour later, causing Callen to wake Nikki up, even though he really didn't want to. Nikki stretched, arching back, trying to make it crack, so that she could get rid of the stiffness. Callen winced, when he heard her neck and back crack loudly.<p>

"That feels much better," Nikki said, as she grabbed her bag and then turned to Callen. He looked at her and smiled. He took her hand and the pair walked off the plane behind Sam. He led the pair through the airport and looked out for anyone to talk them to the NCIS home office. Nikki looked around as well, but she was looking for something completely different. Before they had left, she had asked Nell, to book the group a car, as much as she would have loved to see anyone from her old team, especially Gibbs and Tony, but she missed driving on the streets of Washington. She spotted the Car Rental and slowly began walking over to it, leaving Callen and Sam, looking around the airport for their ride. She shook her head.

* * *

><p>She handed the receptionist her credit card, and waited for them to bring the car around.<p>

"I'm sorry, we can't find a reservation under this name," said the girl. Nikki looked at the girl and tried to think of what Nell could have possibly put the reservation under.

"It's alright, I wasn't the one that book it, I asked one of my co-workers to book me a car before I left. The trip was sort of last minute," she explained to the girl. The girl looked for anything that had been booked that day.

"Can you tell me about where you're coming from?"

"Los Angeles," Nikki responded. The girl continued to look through the records. There were three cars, reserved today.

"We have three reservations called in from Los Angeles, are you able to give me the number and I could possibly figure out which one was reserved for you?"

"310-785-96 –"

"40," finished the girl. Nikki nodded and handed the girl back her credit card. The girl smiled at her and swiped the car, and asked one of the drivers to bring the car around. Nikki smiled.

"I just have to go and get the rest of my group and I'll meet you out there. Thanks again," Nikki said, putting her credit card back in her wallet, and waved at the girl, as she walked out of the Car Rental place. She saw Callen and Sam now sitting on a bench not far from the spot that they were last standing. She quickly walked over to them.

"Where'd you go," asked Callen, standing up and wrapping his arms around her waist. Nikki smiled at him and kissed his cheek. He was so cute, when he was worried about her.

"I was just getting our car," Nikki explained. She smiled at their confused looks.

"I asked Nell, to rent us one. I miss driving around the city and I doubt the Tony and Gibbs, even know we're here seeing as it was Derek and Penelope that called me about the case," Nikki said, as she led Sam and Callen, to the car, that was sitting out front waiting for them. The driver looked at her appreciately, checking out her legs as she walked. Callen glared at him, and softly growled. Sam had to cough to cover up a laugh that was threatening to come out. He had never seen Callen jealous and he doubted that Nikki would appreciate it, if he started a fight at the airport.

Nikki took the keys from the driver, not sparing him a glance, thanking him. She opened the trunk, placed her bags inside and waited for the pair to put their bags in as well. Sam and Callen quickly placed their bags in the trunk and got in the car, Nikki already sitting in the driver's seat. As soon as they got in and were buckled she sped away from the curb and out of the airport parking lot.

* * *

><p>"Creep," murmured Nikki, as she drove. Callen smiled, glad that she agreed with him. Sam shook his head. They were so different, but so alike at the same time.<p>

"So, Nikki, where are we going," Sam asked, looking out the window.

"We're headed to NCIS headquarters," Nikki said, pulling onto the highway. The Norfolk Navy base, wasn't far from the building and they had landed at Norfolk International Airport.

"But if they don't know we're coming, then why are we going there," Callen asked.

"Because I need to talk Gibbs and the rest of the team into re-opening this case," Nikki said. Callen looked at her worriedly. He wondered, if it was a good thing that they were trying to re-open this case, since the mother's disappearance. There was obviously a lot of emotional feelings attached to this case for Nikki and even though it's been a couple weeks since her kidnapping and recovery, he didn't want to risk the repercussions of this case being reopened, but he could see how much it meant to Nikki, that this little girl, who wouldn't be so little anymore would be brought home into the arms of her mother. The hard part about it, was the mother was gone to, so they not only had to save the now 14 year old girl, but her mother as well.

* * *

><p>"Where is she," asked a woman with auburn hair, her face was filled with worry, "show me, where my daughter is." The gentleman with her, walked over to the cupboards, and pulled out a small surveillance computer and he placed it in front of the woman. He indicated the computer.<p>

"Turn it on," he said quietly. The woman looked at him with wide eyes, but turned the computer on anyways. On the screen, she could see a bedroom, and sitting on the bed, was an older Hope, her hair grown out and she was wearing clothes, made for girls her age. She got off the bed and walked over to where the camera stood.

"I'm sorry Bill, I promise next time I'll be better," she said, before the man, shut the computer. The woman burst in tears.

"Please, let me see my daughter," she begged. Bill, took the computer away from her, and put it back in the cupboard. She traced the table, where Hope had carved her name into, as she cried. Bill looked at her, looking stoic. The woman continued to sob, as she traced the name. There were chains on the chair that the woman was sitting in.

"She grew out of those, when she turned twelve, I didn't have to use them on her anymore," he said, indicating them. The woman continued to cry.

"Monica, please you'll upset her with all you're crying," Bill said, as he walked out of the room. Monica followed him. He led her up the stairs and into the room she had seen on the video. Monica ran into the room, hoping to see Hope, but all she saw was an empty room. She burst into tears once more.

"She was right here," she sobbed. Bill continued to watch her, before he sat on the bed. Monica looked at him through her tears in confusion.

"We used to love to play this game," he said, putting his hands up to his face. Monica continued to look at Bill with confusion. He removed his hands, from his face and looked at her. He had a smile on his face.

"Go and hide, I'll give you 20 seconds," Bill said, as he covered his eyes again. As he began to count, Monica fled the room, desperately searching for somewhere to hide.

* * *

><p>Nikki pulled into the parking lot of NCIS headquarters. She could see Tony, sneaking in, trying to get passed Gibbs, but she knew all too well, about how that would end. Gibbs won't be in the bull pen, so Tony will think that he got away with it, he'll start bragging about it to McGee and Ziva and then Gibbs will walk up right behind him, hear everything and then Tony will get smacked upside the head. Old times, but good times. She continued to look at the front entrance, while Sam and Callen got out of the car.<p>

* * *

><p><em>Nikki and Tony sat with Monica, as she explained exactly what she was told <em>_when her daughter Hope was missing._

"_Becca, came running into the house, saying that a man was trying to take Hope. I dropped what I was doing and ran out of the house, but by the time we got there, the man and Hope were gone," Monica said, as she sobbed into her hands. Tony and Nikki looked at one another sadly. _

"_Has any one been following you the pass couple of days," Nikki asked, as wrote down everything that Monica said._

"_If there was, I haven't noticed," Monica answered, before continuing to cry. Tony handed her another tissue. Nikki looked at all of her notes, and then the picture that Monica had given them, so that they could identify Hope. She was blonde, and blue eyed. An entire Girl's Orphanage could fit that description. They needed something besides her hair and eye colour to help find her. _

"_Monica, is there another way, that we could identify Hope, besides her hair and eye colour," Nikki asked._

"_She has a small white scar on her right thumb. She was trying to help me cook and burned herself a few months ago," Monica replied the best she could, while she continued to sob. Nikki nodded and wrote that in her notes. Monica looked so distraught and vaguely reminded her of her mother, when Nikki was in the hospital after her accident with her grandfather. She knew that nothing in the world can take the place of a mother's love and though she was sad, that she no longer had it, she would do everything she could to make sure that Hope had it once more. She placed her hand on Monica's._

"_I promise Monica, I will find her. No matter what," Nikki promised, before she exited the room with Tony. Tony shook his head._

"_Whoever took her, went through a lot of trouble to get her," Tony said, as they walked down the hall. Nikki nodded, but continued to look over her notes and at the picture of Hope. Nikki nodded. It seemed like a lot of trouble for a regular kidnapping, it was like whoever this guy was, he wanted her for another reason besides money, but what that reason was they had no idea._

* * *

><p>Monica hid by the bookcase. There was a door at the end of the hall, that Bill didn't want her to go into and that was the room that her Hope, was most likely in. She stayed quiet as Bill passed right by her and walked down the stairs. She took a deep breath and then ran to the door. Bill could hear her heavy footfalls.<p>

"Monica," he called, before running up the stairs, to see her fiddling with the lock that he had put on the door.

"Monica, no," he yelled, as she opened the door, before he could reach her. Monica entered the room. It was painted pink and had small butterflies all over the room. In the distance, past a supporting wall, she could see a bed; the covers were covering something on it. She knew that it was Hope. She smiled, before silently walking over to the bed, and placing her hands on the lump. It felt different though. Hope was never a light sleeper. She slowly removed the covers…

* * *

><p>Sam and Callen looked over the original team's notes. They could see that they had done everything they could to find Hope Crawford, but with out the stolen van and an image of the man that could have possibly taken her, all of their leads had dried up. Nikki sat between them, a medium sized cup of coffee in her hands.<p>

"Is there anyone that we could possibly talk to? Maybe they'll be able to give us any new leads," Callen asked, as he flipped through the interview notes, "Anyone that you couldn't interview then, but can now?"

"We interviewed everyone we could, even Hope's best friend, but no one actually sa-" Nikki paused, as she tried to remember any of the interviews that could possibly stick out in her mind. Callen looked at her. Nikki kept thinking of how much a like Hope and her best friend looked a like. If this had been just about kidnapping someone, he could have easily taken Elizabeth. Elizabeth had said, that she was the one counting, when her and Hope were playing hide and seek. Elizabeth would have been the easier target. This was solely about taking Hope.

"I know who we need to talk to," Nikki said, grabbing her coat. Sam and Callen looked at Nikki in confusion, but followed her anyway out the door and into the bullpen where she was talking to Tony. Tony looked completely shock.

"How come we didn't think of it before," they heard Tony ask, as they got closer to the pair.

"We were sleep deprived, and we were solely focused on looking for that van, as if it had the answer to everything, and at the time Elizabeth Yeilding, held no information that could have helped us, but now, we need to know, why he didn't take Elizabeth, when she was the easier target, she was by herself, Hope was hiding and she wouldn't have seen anything until she came out to see where Elizabeth was," Nikki explained. Tony looked as if everything was starting to make sense, after seven years. He grabbed his jacket and the foursome fled towards the elevator doors.

"Dinozzo, where are you going," called Gibbs, as he walked into the bull pen, to see the four of them running off to only God knows where.

"To find Hope."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: A new chapter done and uploaded. I hope you enjoyed it. Let me know what you think. **

**xo**


	25. Chapter 25: Sick Bastard

**A/N: Hey Everyone, **

**Are you all going to watch NCIS: LA tonight? I sure am! Let me know your thoughts on the episode. Review, review, review people. Reviews give me the inspiration and desire to update. **

**WARNING: MENTIONS OF RAPE AND SEX WITH A MINOR!**

**Enjoy! **

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Twenty-Five: Sick Bastard<span>

* * *

><p>She slowly removed the covers, from on top of Hope, but instead of Hope, she saw the mummified version of her. Monica's eyes grew wide, at the sight of her daughter's wrapped body and her eyes began to water from the smell of decomposition. Bill stood slightly behind her, his hands clasped together as he looked upon Hope's dead body with Monica. Monica turned on him.<p>

"I didn't want you to see her like that," Bill said, as he pointed to Hope's mangled body. Monica looked back at the body her eyes still wide, she leaned over the side of the bed and emptied her stomach of the little contents it had. Bill winced as he listened to Monica and looked at Hope's body. He loved Hope, she was his world and they were going to…

"Come, we should leave her alone," Bill said, as if he thought that Hope was somehow still alive. Monica struggled against him, not wanting to go anywhere with him, but he was too strong for her. He picked her up easily and carried her out of the room and into the bedroom that he first showed her. He laid her down on the bed and exited the room, locking it behind him. Monica began to cry once more, as she lay there. Her sobs filled the air. The misery she had felt years ago when Hope went missing, came flooding back, as she now knew her daughter's fate.

* * *

><p>Callen and Nikki pulled up in front of the middle school, and walked into the office. Nikki was silently hoping that Elizabeth would remember something that would help them, find the man that took Hope and Monica. She hated how this family had been torn apart in a matter of six months, seven years ago. Alex Crawford dying in battle, and then Hope was taken from her mother, six months later. She hated the monster that did this, and quickly vowed to herself, that she would do whatever it takes to make sure that justice would be brought to Monica and Hope.<p>

Callen walked silently beside his girlfriend, and as he saw the look on her face, he wondered what she was thinking about. Over the past few hours, Nikki had been spacing out, more than usual. He was worried about her.

"Excuse me, I need to speak to one of your students," Nikki said, flashing her badge to the receptionist. The receptionist looked shocked, but looked at the badge anyway. She knew that it was serious, if two people from Naval Criminal Investigation Services were involved.

"Which student," asked the receptionist, as she typed away on her computer.

"Elizabeth Yielding," Callen responded. The receptionist nodded and typed away on her computer again, before picking up her phone and dialing an extension. She put the phone on speaker as it began to ring. A woman picked up.

"Hello," said the voice into the phone.

"Ms. McDermott," answered the receptionist, "can you please send Ms. Elizabeth Yielding to the office immediately."

"She's in the middle of a test right now, can she come down later," asked Ms. McDermott. Nikki began to grow annoyed. She understood that Elizabeth was still in school, but there was a young life at stake, and every minute they wasted now, could mean another minute closer to Monica of Hope's death. Callen could see that Nikki was growing annoyed, and the receptionist was waiting patiently for an answer, if this could wait. He slowly shook his head at the receptionist. It couldn't wait.

"No, please send her down now," the receptionist said, and before she hung up the phone, Nikki and Callen heard the teacher huff. Nikki and Callen took a seat in the chairs that were in the waiting area, and waited patiently for Elizabeth Yielding to enter.

* * *

><p>Bill re-entered the room, this time in a pair of sweat pants and a white t-shirt. Monica had stopped crying some time ago and vowed that she would get away from here, but first she wanted to know what had happened to Hope and why Bill had killed her. Bill sat silently beside her.<p>

"Why did you kill her," Monica whispered. Bill looked at her in surprise.

"I didn't…you know why I joined the group," Bill responded, now looking at his hands. Monica nodded.

"2 months ago, you're pregnant wife killed herself…" she paused as it all dawned on her. This man…no monster that was sitting beside her, had gotten her fourteen year old daughter pregnant and because she couldn't bear to bring his child into the world, she had killed herself, so that she could be free. Monica began to sob again, as she thought about her daughter, thinking that the only way out, was by killing herself.

"I was walking upstairs to talk to her…"

* * *

><p><em>Bill was walking up the stairs, carrying two cup of hot chocolate in his hands. He was smiling at the thought of having a baby with his angel. He walked over to the room that he kept Hope in, the room was dark and the door was locked. He placed the cups of hot chocolate on the book shelf beside the door. Bill slid the lock out of place and went to open the door, when he was met with a resistance. He continued to try and push the door open. Little by little he got the door to open wide enough for him to step inside, when he did, he wished he hadn't.<em>

_On the floor in front of the door, lay Hope with her wrist slit, and blood all over the floor. He bent down, his face filled with fear and worry. Hope's eyes were wide and glassy. She was gone and so was their baby._

* * *

><p>Monica, continued to sob, as she tried not to listen to Bill tell the story of how he found out that Hope was dead. She had heard it before in their group, and she had wept for him, without knowing that he was a monster. Without knowing that his pregnant wife, that had killed herself because she didn't want the baby, was actually her daughter, that had gotten pregnant because the sick man beside her had raped her.<p>

"In group, you were talking about having another baby," Bill said, as he turned toward Monica. Monica looked at him and glared, slowly moving away from him, so that he couldn't touch her, but he was too quick. Bill grabbed Monica, by her ankles and dragged her towards him, so that he was laying on top of her, trapping her under his body. She began to sob and scream loudly hoping that someone, somewhere would hear her cry for help.

"Come on, Monica, another Hope, just for the two of us," Bill said, as he dragged her shirt down. Monica kept struggling against him, but he took pleasure in seeing her struggle.

"Don't fight it, Monica, you know you want another Hope."

* * *

><p>A blonde girl, with pink streaks, walked into the office, to see Nikki and Callen waiting for her. Nikki smiled at her sadly, hardly recognizing the girl, that she had seen seven year's ago, but it seemed that the girl had recognized Nikki.<p>

"I told you everything, seven years ago," said the girl, as she began to turn towards the office door to leave. Nikki leapt out and grabbed onto her shoulder gently. The girl turned around and looked at Nikki.

"Elizabeth, I know this is hard, but I need you to tell me anything that you may remember. I know you want to help my partner and I find Hope, just like she wants you too," Nikki said, as she looked at the girl. She use to have light blonde hair, just like Hope, but now she had decided to dye her hair a dark blonde and added pink streaks.

"I already told you everything, and you don't know anything about Hope, you don't know anything about our relationship," yelled Elizabeth shocking the receptionist. Elizabeth was usually a calm, quiet girl.

"I know, that you dyed your hair to get rid of the reminder of how much you and Hope looked alike. I know that you find it hard to let anyone else in, because you have a fear of losing them," Nikki said, "Elizabeth, I need anything you can tell me. Her mother Monica, went missing two days ago and we think it was the same guy that took Hope. This could mean that everything could end, and you could have your best friend back."

"I'll never have my best friend back. She won't be the same after being with that man for seven years," Elizabeth cried. Nikki wrapped her arm around Elizabeth and allowed her to cry into her chest. Callen watched his girlfriend comfort the teenager, the best she could. He knew that she would make an awesome mother some day. He saw that in his dreams, but now he was seeing real evidence of that fact.

"I know you saw a man, taking pictures of you and Hope, a week before she disappeared, but do you remember anything specific about the day she taken," Nikki asked, rubbing her hand up and down Elizabeth's arm. Elizabeth blew her nose in the Kleenex that Callen handed her.

"Hope and I were playing hide and seek in her front yard, like we did every day after we finished our homework…"

* * *

><p><em>Hope began to run away from Elizabeth, as she began to count to twenty. Bill came up behind her, carrying a jar of butterflies. He taped Elizabeth on the shoulder. Elizabeth turned around and looked up at Bill, as he handed her the butterflies.<em>

"_Can I play," Bill asked, as he handed Elizabeth the butterflies, who took them from Bill happily. Elizabeth nodded._

"_But you have to be it," she said, before she went off running to find a place to hide with the jar of butterflies. Bill grinned, as he pretended to close his eyes. Elizabeth was out of sight and now he was off it find Hope._

* * *

><p>Elizabeth began to cry again, as she remembered every single detail of that day. Nikki continued to run her hand up and down the girl's arm. She knew it was hard to forget the details, of where you were and what you were doing, when something happens like that.<p>

"It's my entire fault," cried Elizabeth. Both Nikki and Callen looked at one another, exchanging a look, wondering what Elizabeth meant when she said that it was all her fault.

"Elizabeth, what do you mean," Nikki asked quietly, handing the girl another Kleenex.

"If I hadn't let him play, then maybe he would have just left us alone," Elizabeth said, before she began to cry again. Nikki shook her head. She knew all about the blame game and she knew that Callen did too. They could both sympathize with Elizabeth as she cried for something that she believed to be her fault.

"Elizabeth, look at me," G said as he leaned forward. Nikki looked at him and smiled, when Elizabeth looked at him, through her red and puffy eyes.

"This was not your fault. The man that took Hope is a monster and he would have done anything to get her, and you were lucky that he didn't harm you, so that he could get to her, or worse, taken you both," G explained. Elizabeth calmed down some, at the thought that she could have possibly been taken from her family as well.

"Do you think you'll find her his time," Elizabeth asked, looking at Nikki.

"That depends," Nikki replied, surprising Callen, who had thought that she had never lost hope on this case.

"On what," asked Elizabeth.

"Do you think you could describe the man, that took Hope," Nikki asked. Elizabeth closed her eyes for a moment and then flinched inwardly, as if she saw the face of the monster that had taken Hope.

"You never forget the face of the man that took your best friend."

* * *

><p>Sam was sitting in the car with Tony as they drove towards the Norfolk base. Sam continued to look out the window, as he struggled with whether or not he should tell Tony what Callen, had told him yesterday. He knew that G had said, not a word to Kensi or Deeks, but he said nothing about Tony, probably because he didn't think that he would be seeing Tony in a matter of days, but still he said nothing about Tony. Sam still didn't understand, why they were heading to the Norfolk base, when Nikki and G, were out interviewing the only witness. Tony and Nikki had decided to split up, as if they knew something that wasn't in the written reports.<p>

"I don't get why we're heading to Norfolk," Sam said. Tony looked at him and then realized that neither he nor Nikki had explained why, Sam and he were heading to Norfolk, while Nikki and Callen were going to interview Elizabeth Yielding.

"After her daughter's kidnapping, Monica put every sent she had into the investigation, and she couldn't keep up with her bill payments, but she keeps the house light on and a key under the mat, just in case Hope ever came home. Now that we know, that we need to look for a sign of a break in. The letter the FBI found in Monica's car was hand delivered to this house and we know that whoever took Monica, drove by this house, because a neighbor saw a burgundy van, the same one that was stolen seven years ago, sitting outside it with Monica inside," Tony explained.

"It just makes no sense, why would this guy come back after seven years," Sam asked.

"Because, two days ago, was the seventh anniversary of Hope's disappearance, it acted as a catalyst. Monica would have been emotionally vulnerable and he seems too fascinated by bringing the two of them together again," Tony said, as he turned into the Norfolk base. Sam nodded. It does seem like this guy was fascinated by bringing the mother and daughter duo back together, but it seemed like more than that.

"The only thing I don't understand is why seven years, why would he wait this long, to bring them back together. Sure Monica would have been watched like a hawk, during the investigation, but what about after it was closed. Monica would have been even more desperate after the last lead that could've have brought her, her daughter, had gone dry," Sam said. Tony suddenly pulled a U-turn and exited the Norfolk base. Sam looked at him confused. They were heading back to NCIS headquarters and Tony was trying to get a hold of Nikki.

"What are you doing," Sam asked.

"You just made me think of something," Tony replied, "Monica went missing after a group grief meeting. Someone there must have known something and took advantage of the fact. This guy could be part of the group, just to get close to Monica." Sam nodded and realized that was the missing piece of how Monica had gone missing. No one except the people that were in the meeting, that were in that building and had their cars in that parking lot, when Monica went missing. So far there had been no sign of Hope, being at the scene, which meant this woman went willingly with him.

"Nikki call me, Sam may have just blown this case wide open," Tony said leaving a message on Nikki's voicemail.

* * *

><p>Nikki sat with Elizabeth as she told the sketch artist, what the man looked like. Nikki held her hand as she began to cry again, but she knew that it would all be worth it, if Hope and Monica were found and after some extensive therapy then maybe Hope could lead a normal life. The sketch artist continued to draw face after face until finally Elizabeth looked at the final drawing and nodded. Nikki looked at the picture and took it from the sketch artist. She needed to know if anyone, anyone at all, had seen this man, in the parking lot and she was going to start with the Grief group, where this all started.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>AN: It looks like Tony and Nikki are thinking along the same lines. Let me know what you think. Next chapter the Hope Crawford case comes to a close, but how will Tony and Nikki take it that Hope is dead? You'll have to review and stay tuned to find out.**

**xo**


	26. Chapter 26: It's Over

**A/N: Hey Everyone, **

**Did you all watch NCIS: LA last night? I thought something was going on and then my mom called it! We were also joking around about how Nikki and Kensi would be angry at G for lying to Kensi, but she'd forgive Nikki just at the drop of hat, because she was her best friend. And I almost died of laughter when Linda Hunt said "Haters gunna hate," when the credits started to run. My mom, sister and I were also laughing when Sam said, "Gotta love Tuesdays." I could just hear Nikki in the back of my head going, "I should've just stayed in bed," and then I heard Dean Winchester saying "It's gotta be Thursday," from Season 5's 'Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid. Okay, enough rambling. Onto the chapter….**

**WARNING: MENTIONS OF RAPE AND SEX WITH A MINOR!**

**Enjoy! **

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Twenty-Six: It's Over<span>

* * *

><p>Penelope followed Nikki into the small boardroom, just above the bull pen. She began to close the blinds, as Penelope took a seat in one of the many chairs that were in there.<p>

"Nikki, I don't think I can do this. What is said in those meeting is completely personal and I can't betray peoples trust like that," Penelope said, as Nikki took a seat across the table from her.

"I know, but Penelope, I need to find Monica, and the only people that were in that building at the time of her kidnapping, was your grief counseling group. I just need to know if anyone in particular in that meeting seemed extremely interested in what she had to say, if she did say anything," Nikki explained. Penelope nodded, and closed her eyes. She hated betraying these people trust, but if it helped them to find Monica and maybe even Hope, she was willing to give it a try. Nikki took the picture out, placing it face down and sat in front of her.

"Okay, what was happening in the meeting," Nikki asked. Penelope took a deep breath and pictured the meeting clearly.

"I was…"

* * *

><p>"<em>If <em>_I __hadn__'__t __snuck __out __that __night, __my __parents __wouldn__'__t __have __been __out __at __3 __am, __looking __for __me __and __then __they __wouldn__'__t __have __been __hit __by __that __drunk __driver,_" _Penelope __said, __as __she __folded __her __hands __in __her __lap. __She __had __tears __in __her __eyes, __but __she __didn__'__t __allow __them __to __fall. __Monica __was __quietly __crying __in __front __of __her. __Her __sleeve __in __front __of __her __mouth, __trying __to __hide __them, __but __Penelope __looked __over __at __her __and __saw __that __she __was __crying._

"_What__'__s __wrong, __Monica_?" _Monica __looked __up __at __Penelope __and __shook __her __head._

"_I __don__'__t __want __to __bother __anybody_," _Monica __said, __before __putting __her __hands __in __her __lap. __Penelope __looked __at __the __woman __with __auburn __hair._

"_That__'__s __why __we__'__re __here, __to __talk __about __our __grief. __Go __on __Monica_," _Penelope __urged __her._

"_Yesterday __was __the __seventh __anniversary __of __my __Hope__'__s __disappearance-_"

"_Oh __I__'__m __so __sorry __Monica, __I __completely __forgot,_" _Penelope __said, __as __she __put __a __hand __on __her __friend__'__s __knee. __Monica __nodded._

"_I __was __walking __by __this __bakery, __that __the __two __of __us __would __go __by, __and __I __saw __a __little __girl __with __her __blonde __hair __in __pigtails, __and__I __just __thought __of-__" __Monica __cut __herself __off __in __the __midst __of __her __sobs. __A __hand __came __from __behind __her __and __patted __her __on __the __shoulder._

"_That's why we're here," said the guy…_

* * *

><p>"There was someone else talking to her," Nikki asked. Penelope nodded. Nikki turned the picture over and pushed it so that it sat in front of Penelope.<p>

"I need you to think Penelope, who was it, that said that," Nikki asked. Penelope didn't even look at the picture. She closed her eyes again, trying to remember exactly who had been sitting behind her fan, and tried to give her comfort, when she had broken down in sobs for the second time that evening. Nikki watched her, as she continued to try and picture the entire meeting.

"It was a new guy, he had joined only a couple months ago. His pregnant wife, killed herself, because she didn't want the baby," Penelope said, her eyes still closed. She was trying to picture the man clearly.

"It was Bill…Bill Redcroft," Penelope said opening her eyes. Nikki smiled and then pointed down to the picture in front of Penelope.

"Is that was Redcroft looks like Penelope," Nikki asked. Penelope looked down at the picture and gasped. She nodded. Nikki let go of the breath, she had been unaware that she was holding. She grabbed the picture and went to leave the room, but Penelope grabbed her arm, before she could.

"I'm coming with you," Penelope said. Nikki looked at Penelope.

"Pen, I can't let you go, you're an analyst, not an agent. I can't honestly let you walk in there, when there is a high chance that you could become a hindrance and put us all, Monica and Hope in danger," Nikki said, but Penelope wasn't listening to her. She was too busy taking off her high heels.

"If you're not going to let me go willingly, then you'll have to drag me out of the SUV," Penelope said, before she stomped out of the room. Nikki smiled and shook her head. She wouldn't have Penelope have any other way though, because she had been like Monica once, she had been kept captive by a guy that was a sick bastard, and Penelope had done everything in her power to help find her. She walked from the room silently, only to be grabbed by G. She smiled at him, but then she saw the look on his face. He looked worried.

"What's wrong," Nikki asked.

"Do you think you should be on this case? Nikki you're going crazy trying to find this girl. She could be dead for all you know," Callen said. Nikki ripped her arm from him, like she had been burned. She looked at him, hoping that he was joking, but she could see it on his face. He was genuinely concerned about her being on this case. She absolutely hated the fact that G had given up on Hope, she couldn't be dead. It made no sense. This guy wouldn't work so hard to kidnap her, just to kill her. There was something deeper there.

"Until I find evidence that Hope Crawford is dead, I will continue to believe that she is alive and that I didn't waste all this time, hoping that Monica and Hope would one day be reunited. I need to believe that there is goodness in this world and that Hope can't be dead, because if I can't believe in that, than I have no idea what I can believe in," Nikki snapped at G. They were glaring at one another.

"You're delusional Nikki," G snapped back. Nikki gasped in shock. He had always been so understanding of it all, but now he was calling her delusional for needing to believe in the goodness of the world and hoping that Hope was still alive.

"If I'm so delusional, then why are you even with me," Nikki asked. G looked at her and shrugged.

"I don't know," G answered. Nikki's eyes flooded with tears. She closed them, so that G wouldn't see them fall, and then something burned inside her. She bowed her head. G regretted what he had said the moment he had said it, but he knew that it was too late to take it back, and he could see how much it had hurt Nikki. Nikki took a deep breath and then another. She smack G across the face and then ran down the hall. She couldn't believe what he had said to her. It was like everything that they had gone through together didn't matter.

* * *

><p>Sam had watched the entire exchange from around the corner. He couldn't believe what G had said to her either, but he knew that G hadn't meant it. He was just worried about how the case was affecting Nikki. She hadn't been sleeping properly. She was going through all kinds of evidence into the dead of night. She was living off coffee and sugar. Nikki lived and breathed this case. And she couldn't let go of the fact that Hope needed to be alive. If that girl ended up being dead, it would kill Nikki, both of them knew that, but the way that G handled it, wasn't the way he should've and what he said just made it a whole lot worse.<p>

* * *

><p>Nikki wiped the tears from her eyes, as she got into the car with Tony. Penelope had given them the address of Redcroft and they were on their way to liberate Monica and Hope. Tony could see that something was wrong, but he didn't want to press the issue. Nikki would talk to him, if and when she wanted too. He didn't want Nikki getting hurt, when they went to confront Redcroft, but he knew that she wanted to bring him into custody, just as much as he did.<p>

He pulled out of NCIS headquarters, quickly followed by SWAT. It was time to bring Monica and Hope home.

* * *

><p>Monica was still locked in the room, that Bill raped her in. She was pulling her shirt back over herself, when Bill walked back in, carrying a cup of tea. He smiled at her. It made the bile in her stomach come up to her throat. He hated the way he looked at her, and the way he had touched her, made her feel extremely dirty. He handed her the cup of tea. Monica took it from him silently, before something flashed in her eyes.<p>

She quickly dumped to cup of tea on Bill and fled the room, only pausing to try and lock Bill inside the room. He was too quick for her though. He had tea burning his eyes and he could barely see, but he still made a mad dash for the door, holding it open, while Monica was trying to pull it close and slide the lock into place. She quickly gave up and fled towards the stairs. She was trying to escape.

She made a run for the front door, but Bill had placed a lock on it, that needed a key to unlock it. There were bars on all of the windows. Monica looked around in panic, trying to find another way out. The back door had been boarded up and there was no way that she could get out. She was still looking around in a panic, when Bill came up behind her and threw her to the ground. Monica began to scream again. Someone needed to hear her, someone needed to save her from this monster.

* * *

><p>The sirens were blaring as they charged down the streets towards Redcroft's house. Sam and Callen had been left behind at NCIS headquarters, and the FBI BAU team would be meeting them there. Penelope was in the backseat of Tony's car getting anxious. Every minute they wasted getting there, would mean another minute that Monica was being held captive and they didn't want to take any chances.<p>

Nikki didn't look at anybody else in the car, she just kept looking out the passenger side window, watching all the houses pass by, as they drove. She had been hurt by what Callen had said, and she hated the fact that it made her feel this vulnerable. She had always sensed when she could end up hurt after Beck had raped her. Why was this time any different? Did she love G that much, she was willing to let herself get hurt again? Had she just put her walls down at the wrong time? She needed Kensi…

* * *

><p>G and Sam sat at headquarters waiting for news. The team had only left a few minutes ago, but they were hoping that it would be over sooner rather than later. They wanted Nikki to go back to normal. They wanted her to be her fun loving self, but first G would need to apologize for the things that he had said.<p>

"You had no right to call her delusional," Sam said. Callen looked at him and glared. He was already beating himself up about ruining the best thing he had in his life and he really didn't need his partner doing it too.

"All I wanted was for you to find a nice girl and you did, and everyone was happy for the two of you," Sam continued, not bothering to listen to G's looks that were telling him to shut up and stop acting like you're my mother.

"And then you had to go and ruin it by calling her delusional and saying that you didn't know why you were with her. Really? You don't know why you're with her," Sam asked. Callen put his head in his hands.

"That was really stupid of me to say, wasn't it," he asked. Sam didn't say anything, just gave him a look. Callen groaned. He knew that he would have to make it up to Nikki, if she ever let him. He would have to buy her bouquet after bouquet of white roses and he would have to give her foot rubs and he'd have to beg on his knees for her to forgive him, but he knew that it would all be worth it.

* * *

><p>The sirens were turned off as they got closer to the house. They didn't want to spook Bill if he was inside. If he was spooked then he would try and harm Monica and Hope, and that wouldn't get them anywhere, because then he would just kill himself afterwards to get away with it. Nikki slowly put her headset in; she could hear Abby, speaking to Callen and Sam. She rolled her eyes, and got out of the car.<p>

Pulling her gun from her holster, Tony and her took the lead. She would lead Derek, Reid, and a few SWAT members in the house through the basement window, which Abby spotted on the other side of the house, while Tony watched the front door, and tried to negotiate with Bill. She motioned for Derek and Reid to follow her.

"Okay, Nikki, the window she be to your left beside the back gate," Abby said, she was watching the entire thing, via satellite. Nikki motioned that she was going to slowly open the back gate and then the rest would enter and she would follow after. SWAT, Nikki and Reid sidled up along the house, while Derek tried to kick the window as quietly as he could.

* * *

><p>Callen watched silently, as Nikki entered the house first. He was hoping that Bill wasn't in the basement, waiting for them. He knew that they had been as quiet as they could be, when the entered, but still it would just take some bad luck and Bill could be in that basement.<p>

* * *

><p>Bill had Monica in a headlock. She was struggling to breathe, as she tried to break free of it.<p>

"Don't fight me, Monica, you'll never win," Bill whispered in her ear, as he pulled a gun from his pocket.

"Put the gun down Bill," Nikki said, as she quickly entered the room. Derek came in from the room across from her. Bill looked between the two of them and then at the guns in their hands. He knew that if he tried to shoot one of them, the other would pull the trigger without even thinking. He wouldn't get out of this alive, so he put the gun down in front of him and Monica. Monica began to cry when she saw Nikki. Nikki had just as much hope as she had that Hope had been alive and then she turned out dead, because she decided to kill herself, because she didn't want to bring the baby of a monster into this world.

"Let go of her Bill," Nikki said, still pointing her gun at Bill.

"She was pregnant, he got my baby pregnant," Monica cried hysterically, "and then she killed herself, because she couldn't bear to bring it into the world." Those words hit Nikki like a ton of bricks. Hope was dead. G had been right. She took control of her emotions though, not showing them because she didn't want Bill to think that he would be able to take.

"Bill, let go of her, and you'll get out of this alive," Nikki said calmly. She didn't want to shoot him, unless she absolutely had too. It seemed like Bill wasn't going to give her much of a choice, until she saw Bill's grip on Monica release. She breathed a sigh of relief and went to holster her gun, while Derek moved to arrest Bill, but both of them stopped when they saw something flash before Monica's eyes. Monica lunged for the gun and aimed it at Bill.

Nikki and Derek pulled their guns out, now training them on her. She was hysterical, and they needed to stop her before she did something she would regret, but before they could even react, she pulled the trigger.

* * *

><p>Abby, Sam and G were waiting with baited breath for news. They could hear the rustling of the SWAT team, when the gun shots were heard. G hoped that Nikki hadn't gotten shot and killed before he had a chance to apologize to her, for everything that he had said. His fears didn't go away, when they heard Derek call for a medic. Abby quickly dialed 911 and sent a medic to their location, hoping that whoever had been shot would get to the hospital in time.<p>

* * *

><p>Nikki, Derek and Reid exited the house, Monica under Nikki's arm as she went. Nikki knew that Monica wouldn't be blamed for what she had done, as soon as she finished filing her witness report. After she shot Bill, Monica told Nikki about how he had raped her, to "make another Hope" and how he had kept her captive promising that she would get to see Hope soon, but never showing her. She told them, about how she had found her and what she had seen.<p>

Nikki almost burst into tears imagining poor Hope's mangled body.

* * *

><p>Nikki and Tony were glad that the case was finally closed, but they were upset that they didn't find Hope before it was too late. Nikki wiped the fresh tears from her eyes and smiled. At least Hope was free now, and her kidnapper and assaulter was dead.<p>

Tony and Nikki walked back into NCIS headquarters to see Sam and Callen waiting for them. Nikki pushed passed them, not wanting to talk to G right now. He had hurt her with his words and she needed sometime to think. She needed to think about if this was what she had wanted, if he was worth it all and she really needed to think about everything they had gone through together already. She pulled her phone out and called someone she could always count on.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Another chapter done and that's the third one this week. Hope you enjoyed it and please don't kill me, I know I'm breaking Gikki apart, but we can't always have a smooth path, can we? Don't worry. You'll all get what you want in the end. **

**xo**


	27. Chapter 27: I Love You, Nikki

**A/N: Hi Everyone, **

**So I know I said I was completely out of ideas, after I finished the Hope Crawford, but last night before I went to bed, I was watching the Castle that I had on PVR from Monday night, and this little stroke of brilliance (if I may say so) hit me. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Twenty-Seven: I Love You, Nikki<span>

* * *

><p>Nikki sat on the other side of the plane, away from G. She still wasn't ready to talk to him. She knew that he had been right. She knew that she had become too emotionally invested in the case, but all she could think of the time, was that little girl being held captive against her will, and the unknown torture she had to go through, while she was there. It was too close to what had happened to her, and just like herself, she wanted to bring Hope home safely to her mother. Nikki knew that she could not save everyone, but she had to at least try. She remembered how her grandfather said, that it was easier to forgive someone for being wrong, than it is for being right.<p>

At age thirteen, she never knew what he meant, but now she knew more than ever. She didn't want to admit to G, that he had been right, he already knew that, but if she wanted to say it out loud, she would have to admit it to herself, that she couldn't save Hope, and she wasn't ready to admit that to herself. She looked out the window, she was so bored and so tired. All she wanted to do was to crawl into G's lap, and fall asleep, but he was playing with poker with Sam and she was kind of mad at him.

* * *

><p>"Do you think she's okay," asked G, as he looked at his cards again, before placing five dollars into the pot. Sam looked over his shoulder, at Nikki, who had a blanket wrapped her, as she looked out the window. He could tell that the outcome of the Crawford disappearance had hit her hard. He knew that it had hit Tony hard as well. The only thing he didn't know was how hard. Both of them had retreated into shells and they were barely there. They were there physically, but mentally it was like they were in another world. Nikki constantly had this blank look on her face that no one could read.<p>

"I think she just needs time," Sam replied, as he added another five dollars into the pot. G looked at Nikki again, but quickly looked away, as she looked towards him. He was hoping that once they were in LA, she would sit down and talk with him. She had spoken to him in three days, and he was quickly beginning to miss her. He hated fighting with her, even though this was only their first real one, that didn't lead right into make-up sex. Most of the time, they just fought for the make-up sex.

"G, stop staring at her, she'll talk to you, when she's ready," Sam, said before showing G his cards. Callen groaned seeing that Sam had a full house, while he didn't have anything. Sam smiled and took the cash from the middle of the table.

* * *

><p>The plane landed, and Nikki quickly left the plane, not bothering to even spare a glance at G. She missed him, but she was still having a hard time. The past three days have been hard on her, and she really wanted to talk to him, but she needed to get her head on straight and she needed to take a breather. She needed Kensi to talk some sense into her, and she would try to do the same with her.<p>

Kensi was waiting to pick her up. She had specifically called Kensi, before they left. At this point she wanted to spend the least amount of time she could with G. And the car ride from the airport to OPS, would be too long and she would be in a confined space with him. She couldn't do it, not now. She quickly walked out of the hanger and over to the black SUV that Kensi was sitting in. She smiled at her and quickly entered the car.

"What's wrong? You sounded stressed on the phone," Kensi asked, as she started the car, waving to Deeks, as he left with Sam and Callen. Nikki looked at her.

"G is…," Nikki paused. She couldn't bring herself to insult him. She may be mad at him, but she couldn't say a bad word against him.

"G is?"

"Never mind. Can we just have a girl's night tonight? I'll call Nell, and you both can come over to my place and we'll watch movies, and pig out on junk food," Nikki said. She needed to get her mind off of everything that happened while she was in Virginia, so that she could think straight. Kensi looked at her best friend confused, but nodded. She could tell that Nikki needed this and if anything give Nikki a couple of beers, when she was this upset and she'll open up just like a book and sooner or later, she'll tell you everything you need to know about what's bothering her.

* * *

><p>The drive back to OPS was quiet except for the pitter-patter of the falling rain. G didn't want to say much and Sam, just kept looking out the window. Deeks felt extremely uncomfortable. He knew something had happened in Virginia, Kensi had said that much, when she asked him to pick up the guys, so that Nikki could get sometime away from them, but he had absolutely no idea what.<p>

"How about some tune-age," Deeks said, before he began to fiddle with the dial. Sam looked at him and then rolled his eyes. When Deeks turned on the radio, 'Dance With the One That Brought You' by Shania Twain filled the car. Sam looked at Deeks again, but unknown to either of them, Callen's eyes filled with tears, but he didn't let them fall. This song had come on the radio a week before Nikki had been cleared for work.

* * *

><p><em>Nikki smiled at Callen, while she began chopping the vegetables for the salad, that she was making to go along with their dinner. He was sitting at the table, drinking the beer that she had handed to him, when he walked into the kitchen. The radio was blaring, but neither of them cared. They weren't talking much; they were just enjoying each other's company. She continued to chop at the vegetables, when an extremely slow song came on. She smiled and slowly began to hum along to the song.<em>

"_My mom use to love this song," Nikki said. She could remember her mom, making dinner, and it would come on, and her mother would quietly sing along with it, while Nikki watched. _

"_She had such a beautiful voice," Nikki said, putting the knife down. Tears were filling her eyes and she could barely see. Her mom was a touchy subject. Sometimes she'd be fine, but the fond memories, like this one would bring her to tears. G walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, once he saw that she had tears in her eyes. She smiled and leaned into him. _

"_She use to say, that it described my father perfectly," Nikki chuckled quietly. Callen turned her around his arms and hugged her to him, as he began to slowly dance around the room. She smiled and leaned her head against his shoulder as they danced quietly in the kitchen._

* * *

><p>With Kensi and Nikki, the same song was playing on the radio and Nikki was just ignoring Kensi and watching as the rain began to fall. Kensi wanted to ask Nikki what was bothering her, but she kept her mouth shut, as she tried to drive through the rain, but the road was basically a parking lot with all the traffic. Nikki continued to look out the window, not wanting Kensi to see the tears in her eyes.<p>

Nikki felt like she was suffocating, and trapped in the SUV, she needed to move. She needed to get out and just walk. She didn't care how far away the OPS centre was, all she knew was that she needed to get out and just be by herself. They were in the middle lane, but she didn't care. She unbuckled her seat belt and got out of the car. Kensi looked at her, like she was crazy. She couldn't follow her because she couldn't leave the car there.

Nikki walked quickly out onto the sidewalk and just started walking, she walked past all the car that were lined up and as the rain started to come down harder, she didn't care, she just kept walking. Her mother once said, that it was best to let yourself cry, when you're walking in the rain, because no one can tell that you're crying, and she let herself do just that.

* * *

><p>Sam, G and Deeks were stuck in the same traffic jam as Kensi and weren't that far, from where Kensi was sitting in the SUV. Deeks was drumming along with the song that came on after Shania Twain on the steering wheel. The traffic jam was barely moving. The rain was getting heavy and many of the cars had put on the wind shield wipers.<p>

Sam was looking out the window, while G fiddled with his phone in the back seat, trying to figure out the best message that he could send Nikki that he really wanted to talk to her, but he didn't want to break up or anything. He cared about her very much…he was even contemplating marriage, but at this point it seemed a little far off, for the both of them.

* * *

><p>Nikki walked right pass the car, not bothering to spare a glance, just like the others. She had no idea they were inside, all she cared about was walking. She needed to keep moving, she felt free like this. She didn't care that the rain was soaking her head to foot, or that her cell phone was still in the SUV with Kensi or that her mascara and eye liner were running down her face, making her look like a raccoon. All she cared about was that she could breathe.<p>

"Isn't that Nikki," Sam said, pointing to her, as she walked by them. Deeks looked through the passenger side window. His eyes widened when he recognized the brown curly locks and the way she walked. G looked up at the same moment and saw that Nikki was walking quickly through the rain and Kensi was nowhere to be seen. He quickly undid his seatbelt and ran out into the rain, trying to catch up with her.

"What are you doing," Callen yelled, as he caught up with her. Nikki turned around and saw that he was standing there, just as soaked as she was. She quickly turned back around, ignoring him and just kept walking.

"Nikki," Callen groaned, as he ran in front of her cutting her off. She glared at him and tried to push past him, but he put his arms around her and pulled her into him. She struggled against him, trying to get away.

"G, just let me go," Nikki said. G just held her closer.

"Not until you tell me, what you're doing walking in the pouring rain," Callen said calmly. He didn't want to snap at her and make it worse. They were already angry at one another and snapping at her would only make it worse and make her scared of him. He don't know what he would do, if Nikki was ever scared of him, like she had been at the hospital in Romania, when he had reminded her of Beck.

"You want to know," Nikki snapped, "you really want to know?"

"Yes."

"I'm crying over you, you idiot."

Sam's cell phone began to ring in his pocket. He quickly answered it, while he watched Nikki and Callen yell at each other in the rain.

"_Nikki, __got out __of __my __car __and __just __started __walking, __do __you __see __her_," Kensi asked.

"Yeah, she walked past us, not long ago, G got out and chased after her," Sam answered, putting her on speaker, so Deeks could hear what she was saying.

"_She__'__s __upset, __what __happened __in __Virgina, __Sam_," Kensi asked.

"The case we were working on, the Crawford disappearance, the girl ended up dead. Nikki was pretty heartbroken over it, but before they found out about Hope, G and her got into a huge fight, because G was worried that this case was affecting her more than it should. He called her delusional and then proceeded to say that he had no idea why they were together when she asked him," Sam explained.

"_Idiot, __and __of __course __the __Crawford __disappearance __was __getting __to __her. __Do __you __have __any __idea __how __many __similarities __there __are __between __Nikki __and __Hope_," Kensi snapped. Sam thought about it for a moment. There were several different similarities between the two. Both had been kidnapped in front of their childhood homes, both had been raped, both had been held captive by a man that only wanted to take advantage of them. How did he not see it before? Nikki kept thinking about it being her. Of course she wanted Hope to get out of it alive, just like she had. Nikki had survived, but Hope hadn't and that was the part that scared Nikki. She had lived through it all to become a better person, but Hope, Hope had no idea how to get out. She had no one to save her and the goodness of the world that Nikki believed in, had failed Hope, a girl with her whole life ahead of her, but it saved Nikki, and now she had to deal with why her, and why not Hope Crawford.

* * *

><p>"Why are you crying over me," G asked, putting his hands on Nikki's shoulders.<p>

"Because I love you, and you have no idea why we're even together," Nikki snapped back, before she began to cry again. She had admitted it out loud. There was no way for her to take it back, even if she wanted too. G looked at her shocked. He had no idea that was why she was crying. He pulled her into him again, and allowed her to cry into his chest.

"I love you, Nikki. I said that because I was angry and worried. You were slowly losing yourself to a case that was so similar to what happened to you and I couldn't just sit there and lose you. I love you Nikki, do you hear me, I love you…"

Nikki clutched at him, hugging him tightly. He smiled and put his finger under her chin, lifting her head, so that she was looking up at him. The rain was streaming down his face, and she still had the tears in her eyes, but a small smile on her face. He leaned down and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and returned his kiss, with the same amount of passion that he was giving him.

* * *

><p>"Hey Kens," Sam said, as he watched G and Nikki kiss in the rain.<p>

"_What_," Kensi asked.

"I think they'll be okay," Sam said, before he turned the camera on and took a picture of the kissing couple. Deeks was smiling and rolling down the windows a little, so that no what could get in, but they would still hear the music, that had begun to play on the radio and was now blaring loud enough that they could hear it, thanks to Sam. The soft sounds off Foreigner's 'Waiting for a Girl like You' filled the air, as they watch the couple continued to kiss. Sam quickly sent the picture off to Kensi.

* * *

><p>Kensi was on the phone and could now here the lyrics of 'Waiting for a Girl like You' playing through her phone. She was looking at her phone confused, but then her phone vibrated and she saw that she was receiving a picture message from Sam. She quickly opened and in the message was a picture of Nikki and Callen kissing in the rain. She smiled at them and then she began to notice that the rain was beginning to lighten and the traffic was beginning to move.<p>

"Someone's up there watching you Nikki, and they want you and G together, just as much as the rest of us," Kensi said to no one in particular. She just started to drive and hopefully she would catch up to Deeks, Sam, Nikki and G. She smiled to herself, knowing exactly who it was that was helping Nikki and G.

"Thanks Kate. You always did push her in the right direction."

* * *

><p>Nikki pulled away from Callen, when she heard Foreigner begin to play in the distance. She smiled at him and then turned in the direction that the music was coming from. She saw Deeks and Sam smiling at her, with the windows open some, just enough so that they could hear the music, but not let any rain in. She waved at them, while Callen mouthed 'Thank you.'<p>

She looked back at G and smiled, before pulling him into another kiss, which he took gladly. He hated fighting with her and now that they made up. He vowed that the only time he would ever fight with her, was when he was sure that it would lead to make-up sex.

"I love you," she whispered to him. G smiled down at her.

"I love you too, Nik," he whispered back, causing Nikki to smile at him as well. Before the couple began kissing again, Sam's voice, broke the bubble they had unknowingly surrounded themselves in.

"Hey, lovebirds we need to get going!"

"Okay, Sam," the both yelled in unison, parting only when they needed to get into their respective cards.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I thought it was time for a change. I kept putting dark chapter, after dark chapter, I thought maybe it was time for a sweet chapter and Gikki is back together, not that they weren't together in the last chapter. Hope you enjoyed it and thank you to all the 11 people who have this story on their favourite list and the 19 people who have it on their alert list, you are the reasons I kept writing it.**

**xo**


	28. Chapter 28: Happy Birthday, NBD

**A/N: Hi Everyone, **

**I've been updating a lot this week and that is due to the amount of work that I do have (which is basically nothing…I work in Canadian Boating Safety and well you can imagine that's not really busy due to it being winter and well anyone who's seen a Canadian winter knows what I'm talking about, even if there isn't snow on the ground it's still freezing cold), so please do not get use to having an update a day. I update as soon as I finish a chapter, so if I'm not busy I will finish and update within a day, if I am extremely busy, it'll take a couple of days…anyways…I'm rambling again.**

**Enjoy!**

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><p><span>Chapter Twenty-Eight: Happy Birthday, Nicole Bridgette Daniels<span>

* * *

><p>It had been three months, since G and Nikki's kiss in the rain and everything was going perfectly. G and Nikki had moved in together and were now reaping the rewards of living in sin. Every once in the while, they would fight, and G would spend the night on the couch or Nikki would go and stay at Hetty's or Kensi's, but it was never anything more. They loved each other deeply and they would go out every Friday, if they weren't in the middle of an undercover operation.<p>

Right now, it was November 27th and G was sitting in the kitchen, trying to make Nikki breakfast. It was her 27th birthday and her first birthday with him. He wanted to make it special. He knew that Hetty was going to take her out for dinner, after work and Nell and Kensi were flying the Washington team out and they were going to throw her this huge surprise party on the weekend at her favourite bar on the Sunset Strip, but he wanted to do something just from him. Nikki was fast asleep in bed right now and he wanted to surprise her, with her favourite breakfast and a dozen white roses. He had laid a trail of red rose petals from their bedroom to the kitchen and had set a romantic place setting for the two of them to eat their breakfast, alone.

Hetty knew that the two of them weren't coming in until noon. G had asked her, if they could come in late, unless anything that was a matter of national security. Hetty had kindly agreed and let them have the morning off, much to Sam's annoyance.

G also had other plans. Today was the day that he wanted to propose to Nikki. He had gone out with Sam and Deeks last Thursday, when Kensi, Nell and Nikki had yoga and bought the ring for her. It was a small 14kt diamond with a simple gold band. On the inside of the ring, he had April 3rd/11 engraved on the inside. It was the first day that they had met and everything they had gone through started. It was a special date and he wanted her to know, that he remembered the exact day that they had met, because it had changed his life forever.

* * *

><p>Nikki rolled over in bed and looked at the clock. It was 8:30 am. Grams had surprisingly given her and G the morning off. She was so glad that she got to sleep in on the morning of her birthday compared to the years previous, having to go to work, because her boss was such a hard ass. Not that she didn't love Gibbs, he was like a second father to her, but he didn't care much for birthdays…or sleeping in.<p>

She arched her back to let it crack and then rolled over to face G, but she didn't find him. Usually he waited for her to wake up and then they would get up and go have breakfast together, but this morning, she found rumpled cold sheets instead. She groaned at the thought of getting out of bed, but threw the covers off of her anyway and got up. She pulled her silk robe on and rubbed her eyes. On the ground she saw a trail of red rose petals leading out of the bedroom, down the hall and down the stairs. She smiled to herself. She knew that G wanted to make her birthday special, that much had been clear for the past two weeks.

Nikki had been walking into rooms that were full of conversation, but as soon as she entered the room, all conversation seemed to cease. She knew that the team and G were up to something, but she wasn't going to go and figure out what it was. It'll be a nice surprise and a nice get away from everything that happened. Nikki slowly followed the rose petals into the kitchen, where she saw G standing by the stove, trying to make her pancakes. She smiled at him and then walked up to him, wrapping her arms around him.

"Good morning," she whispered, kissing his back.

"Happy birthday," he whispered back. She smiled against him.

"Thank you," she whispered. He brought his arm around her and kissed her deeply, before turning back to the pancake before it burned. Handing her a cup of coffee, he ushered her off to the kitchen table, where a fruit salad was waiting for her. She smiled at him, before popping a strawberry into her mouth. He smiled at her, as he flipped the pancake that he had in the frying pan.

"What brought this on," she said.

"I can't do something for my favourite girl's birthday," G said, taking the pancake out of the pan and onto the plate with the other three he made and placed them in front of her.

"You have another girlfriend, I don't know about," Nikki joked, pouring the maple syrup onto her pancakes. G laughed, while he poured some of the batter into the hot pan.

"You know I only love you," G said, as he spread the batter around the pan. Nikki smiled at him, as she took a bite out the pancake.

* * *

><p>The rest of their morning was quiet, as they ate the pancakes, that G made them. Every once in a while G or Nikki would feed the other a bite of their pancake or a grape from their fruit salads. G moved his chair to sit beside Nikki's, as their quiet breakfast slowly came to an end.<p>

Nikki started to sip at the second cup of coffee that G handed her, when he quickly got up and put the dishes in the sink.

"Wait here, okay," G said, before he quickly ran up the stairs and into their room. Nikki's brow furrowed. She was completely confused. G was acting a little weird this morning. She knew it was her birthday, but this was a little more than 'out of the ordinary, wanting to do something special' kind of way. This was like he was almost nervous.

"Why is he acting so nervous," Nikki asked herself, out loud. She continued to sip at the coffee, that was sitting in front of her, when G returned from upstairs. In his hands, was a small black box with a red bow on top of it. She looked at him and smiled, when he set the box in front of her. She looked at him in surprise.

"What's this," she asked. G smiled and pointed at it.

"Open it," was all he said. She looked at him in confusion and then looked down at the box. She slowly pulled the ribbon open and flipped the top of the box open. Inside of it sat a small folded piece of paper. She didn't bother to look at G, this time. Instead she reached inside the box, and opened the note.

_Nikki, will you marry me?_

Nikki's eyes went wide and her jaw dropped open. Tears formed in her eyes, scaring G. He was so afraid that she was going to say no. He didn't know if he was going to be able to live without her. Nikki closed her eyes and a small smile swept across her face, as she turned to him, banishing all of his fears away.

"Yes,' she whispered just loud enough for him to hear, before she launched herself into his arms. He smiled, as he kissed her forehead. He smiled, as he pulled the ring out of his pocket. She looked down at his hands and her smile widened when she saw the ring. G slid the ring on her finger and quickly stood, sweeping her into his arms, lifting her as he spun her around.

"I love you, G," Nikki whispered, as he continued to spin her around.

"I love you too, Nikki."

* * *

><p>"Do you think he went through with it," asked Kensi as she flipped through the files on her desk.<p>

"I don't think he did," Deeks said, taking a sip of his coffee. Sam looked at him, obviously Deeks didn't understand how much G wanted to marry Nikki, otherwise he wouldn't have said that.

"He loves her, I'm pretty sure he asked her. The other question is, did Nikki say yes or not," Kensi said, as she looked up from her files, to take the cup of coffee that Nate was handing to her. Nate took a seat at Nikki's desk.

"If G's behaviour yesterday was any indication…I think he'll be proposing today," Nate explained. The team looked at him and then over to the doors, that had swung open to see that Nikki and G walking in. G had his arm around Nikki's waist as they walked in.

Nikki leaned over to give G a kiss, before they separated, so she could go and talk to Grams.

"I love you," she whispered. G smiled again.

"I love you too," he replied, before giving her another kiss. He walked into the bull pen throwing his bag onto his desk, keeping his back to the rest of the team. Nikki and he had agreed that they wouldn't start telling anyone until after she had told Hetty. He still couldn't believe that Nikki had said yes, but he was glad they did.

"So, G, did you do it," Sam asked, walking over to him. G just shrugged, but a small smile was on his face. He was finding it hard not to tell them. He wished he could have gone to tell Hetty with Nikki, but Nikki wanted to tell her about the engagement on her own.

"What do you mean, you don't know…did you propose or not," Sam asked again.

"Well…"

* * *

><p>Nikki knocked on the door, before she entered her grandmother's office. She could hear that Hetty was on the phone and if it was a bad time, she would come back later. She was about to turn and leave when…<p>

"You can come in Nicole," Hetty called. Nikki smiled to herself, before walking in to Hetty's office. Hetty indicated for her to take a seat in the chair in front of her. Nikki smiled before taking a seat, folding her hands in her lap, she made sure her left hand was on top, so that Hetty would see it.

Hetty quickly made the two of them a cup of tea, and then promptly sat back down in her seat.

"Happy Birthday, dear," Hetty said before taking a sip of her tea. Nikki smiled as she put her cup down, making sure that the ring glinted in the light and much to her satisfaction, Hetty quickly looked at her hand and then looked at her smiling face and then back to her hand. A smile spread across her face.

"G proposed," Hetty said. Nikki nodded, her eyes were filling with tears again, she was so happy. Hetty clapped her hands and quickly got up from her chair and walked around it, to where Nikki sat. She gave her darling granddaughter a hug and a kiss on the forehead.

"Congratulations, darling," Hetty whispered. Nikki smiled and quickly returned the hug and gave Hetty a kiss on the cheek.

"I wanted you to be the first to know," Nikki whispered. Hetty smiled, a small tear fell down her cheek.

"Your mother and father would have loved him Nicole," Hetty said. Nikki's eyes filled with tears once more, this time out of sadness. It had been the tenth anniversary of her mother's death a couple months ago and she couldn't believe that she hadn't seen her mother's smiling face for ten years and she missed it now more than ever. Hetty gave her another hug and passed her the Kleenex box. Nikki took a couple thankfully and wiped her eyes. Today was supposed to be a happy occasion and she wasn't going to let this get her down.

"Now, why don't we have Mr. Beale call the Washington team and Director Vance and the BAU team, so you and G can tell everyone together," Hetty said, a smile on her face. Nikki nodded, before exiting Hetty's office, with her.

* * *

><p>Nikki waved at the team, before walking up to OPS behind Hetty. G's brow furrowed, before his phone began to buzz in his pocket.<p>

'_We're going to call Washington and the BAU, so we can tell everyone together, I'm sure Eric will call you in a few minutes…'_

G smiled. Of course, it would be better to tell everyone at once, rather than let all the teams know at different times, and then they would find out about it and then they'd get angry if they were told second or third, so it made sense this way.

"I wonder, where those two are going," Kensi asked, as she watched grandmother and granddaughter walk up the stairs to the OPS centre. Sam shrugged and went back to flipping through the notes that he had on his desk. G went back to reading a few of his e-mails, when a loud shrill whistle came from the stairway.

"Hetty wants all of you, up in OPS right away," Eric called. Everyone quickly ran up the stairs, except for G who was walking extremely slowly. He knew what this was all about and he would take his time getting there. It'll just leave the rest of the group in suspense for just a little while longer.

* * *

><p>In Washington, Gibbs team was sitting around waiting for a case to drop into their laps when they were called into the Communication centre.<p>

"Hey Gibbs, it's for you from LA," said one of the people that worked in there. Gibbs quickly got up from his desk and quickly started walking up the stairs, skipping two at a time. The only reason he was getting a call from LA was because something had happened to Nikki.

"It's for the entire team," said the guy. Gibbs looked confused, but even more scared at the same time. Something big must have happened to Nikki for the entire team to be needed on this call. He waved for the rest of the group to follow him. Tony quickly ran to catch up to him, just as worried as he was.

* * *

><p>"HOTCH," Penelope called, as she ran into the conference room. Aaron stood quickly wondering could possibly be wrong for Penelope to be screaming for him. Penelope was smiling at them. It was obvious nothing was on, when she turned on the bug monitor and sitting there in OPS was Nikki, G and the rest of the LA team were sitting there, smiling and waving at them.<p>

* * *

><p>Gibbs walked into the communication room, to see the LA and BAU teams and Director Vance waiting for them. On the screen they could see that most of them seemed to be looking at the screen with the same confusion that was evident on their face and only Nikki, G and Hetty seemed to have huge smiles on their faces.<p>

At the smile on Hetty's face, Gibbs knew exactly what Nikki and G would be telling the rest of the team. He had received a phone call from G, that gave him the exact piece of the puzzle that made this phone call make sense.

* * *

><p><em>Gibbs was sitting in his basement working on his new boat when his phone began to ring. His put down the sand paper and walked over to where he had put his phone. He looked at the Caller Id and saw that it was an LA number.<em>

"_Hello?"_

"_Gibbs," said a male voice on the other end. Gibbs furrowed his brow and then thought about it for a moment. He knew that voice._

"_G," Gibbs said, "how are you?"_

"_I'm good, but I'm kind of nervous."_

"_Why would you be nervous," Gibbs asked, as he went back to sanding hi boat, the best he could._

"_I need to ask you something," G said, after he took a very deep breath, "I didn't want to do this over the phone, but I planned to do this for Nikki's birthday, and I know you and the rest of the team aren't coming until the weekend after, so I guess I'll just have to settle for doing it this way." G was rambling and Gibbs knew that it must be big._

"_Just go ahead and ask it," Gibbs huffed. _

"_Can I have Nikki's hand in marriage, I already asked Hetty, but-" Gibbs dropped the phone. He never imagined hearing that question. He never thought he would after Shannon and Kelly died in 1992. He quickly picked up the phone, when he heard G calling his name._

"_Sorry, I just-" G cut Gibbs off._

"_I already asked Hetty, and she said yes, but I know that Nikki looks at you like a father figure, so I just wanted to get your permission, before I went and asked her to marry me," G rambled on again. Gibbs smiled to himself. _

"_G," Gibbs said, trying to stop him from rambling._

"_Yeah," G said, taking a breath, after he finished his rambling._

"_Ask her."_

* * *

><p>"Alright G, do you want to tell them or should I," Nikki whispered in his ear. G smiled down at her.<p>

"We'll tell them together."

"Okay," Nikki said turning to everyone, "You all might want to take a seat for this little piece of news.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Here we are, stay tuned for Nikki and G telling the teams….**

**xo**


	29. Chapter 29: Kissing His Hands

**A/N: Hi Everyone, **

**I don't know how many of you actually read these author notes, but I mentioned this a few chapters ago. I actually made make-shift wedding plans to help me visualize the wedding and everything Nikki will have to go through to plan it (and for the guys that are reading this….sorry, but the truth is, your only job is to show up, unless your one of those grooms that likes to be a pain in the ass every step of the way…trust me, my brother-in-law was like that, it was not pretty), so if you want to see the plans, after the wedding is finished, PM me and include your name, and e-mail and a message for the newly married Gikki, which will get published in the following chapter or as a separate story all together, but that'll be a little while before we actually get the wedding. I'll need to throw in a few speed bumps along the way….it wouldn't be Broken on the Inside, if I didn't.**

**ANYWAYS….**

**ENJOY!**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Twenty-Nine: Kissing His Hands<span>

* * *

><p>Nikki and G looked at one another and smiled, before turning to the group and smiled once more. Nikki had this huge smile on her face and she looked like her old self again. Tony began to smile, putting the pieces together. He slowly started to laugh. He was so happy for them.<p>

"You're getting married," Tony said, causing everyone to look at him. Nikki nodded and held up her left hand, where the diamond ring sat daintily on her finger. Kensi squealed before she flew at Nikki, nearly knocking her over in her attempt to see the ring. G quickly stepped away from the two, when Nell too launched herself at Nikki, once the news set in. The BAU girls were gushing together in Washington, while Abby and Ziva were doing a small happy dance in the communication room at Headquarters, with Tony and McGee joining them soon after. Gibbs, Hotch, Reid and Rossi were smiling, while Derek, sat there shaking his head and smiling all at the same time. Nate, Eric, Sam and Deeks, were not all that surprised, after all G had asked each of them what they would think if Nikki proposed.

"Oh, how did he propose Nikki," Kensi asked. Nikki smiled at G, who smiled right back at her, while he was talking with the guys.

"He laid a trail of red rose petals from our bedroom, to the kitchen, where he was making me breakfast, and he had the entire table set so romantically…" Nikki sighed thinking about earlier that day. She ahad this dreamy eyed look, the entire time she told the girls the story. The guys were listening, but they were looking at Callen. He continued to smile, as he thought about how Nikki and he would be together for the rest of their lives and he wouldn't want it any other way. Suddenly the smile on Nikki's face disappeared. She thought about her grandparents that would hate her even more, but then she looked at G, and when she saw the smile on his face, the smile she put there, because she loved him and accepted his proposal, because she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him and the smile returned. He was worth it all. The hate, the loathing, and the hateful criticism. He was worth everything they put her through.

* * *

><p>"I love you," Nikki whispered, as she hugged G, as she leaned against him, while he was looking through his files. After their announcement, Hetty sent them back to work, but that did not stop Kensi, from asking whether Nikki had started planning the wedding or not. To be honest she sort of started picturing it, when G and her were on their way to work. She wanted her bridesmaids and maid of honor in a light blue, and she knew that she wanted Kensi as her maid of honor, but other than that, she had no idea what to do.<p>

"I love you too," he whispered back. Sam and Deeks kept pestering him, on who he was going to ask to be his best man. To be honest, he had an idea, on who he wanted to be his best man, but he was going to let both of them squirm for a little bit, plus he knew Nikki well, she might use their wedding to try and do some match making and while he preferred that she stay out of other people's personal lives, he wouldn't have her any other way.

Hetty couldn't stop smiling that entire day. She was so happy that both G and Nikki would finally get their happy ending that almost nothing could wipe the smile off her face. Almost.

* * *

><p>Hetty's euphoria lasted until that Saturday.<p>

Nikki and Callen were at their house getting ready for a night out. Callen was going to take Nikki to her favourite club, where Kensi had set up a surprise party including their whole team, the Washington team, the BAU team and a couple of Nikki's high school friends that she had kept in touch with. The rain outside was coming down extremely hard as the two of them were getting ready. Nikki was curling her hair, while G was taking a quick shower, before he got dressed. Nikki had no idea where they were going, but she knew that G was taking her to a club. Nikki frowned as she heard the thunder crash.

"Hey G," she called.

"Yeah," he called back, his voice muffled.

"Do you think, maybe we should just stay in tonight and watch a movie," Nikki asked. She had a bad feeling about tonight, and thought it would just go away if they just stayed home, where she felt they would be safe. She may have already picked out her clothes, and she was almost finished curling her hair, but she didn't care this bad feeling was making her feel really uneasy. She heard the water shut off, and G came walking out with a towel around his waist. He smiled at her.

"Don't worry Nik, we'll be fine," G said, with a reassuring smile. Nikki smiled back at him. There was something in his voice that made her feel safe. She nodded, before going back to curling her hair. She jumped when his arms wrapped themselves around her waist and he kissed her neck. G laughed. Nikki smiled at him in the mirror.

"Don't worry, nothing's going to happen, we'll be fine," G said, before he walked back into the bathroom to brush his teeth, while Nikki pulled the curling iron from her hair. The curl fell into place. Nikki gave herself a smile, liking how her hair turned out, but she just couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen tonight.

* * *

><p>G and Nikki were on their way to the club, singing along with Robert Palmer's 'Bad Case of Loving You' on the radio, while they sat at a red light. The rain outside was coming down so hard that they could barely make out the road or the car in front of them. Nikki was to busy singing along to the music that she didn't notice the bad feeling intensify as Callen began to drive once more, after stopping at red light. Nikki turned to say something to G, when she saw the bright light shining into the car and it was coming right at them. Callen looked over to where Nikki was and saw the car coming as well. His eyes went wide and then turned to Nikki.<p>

As the car made impact, Callen crushed Nikki's body with his, protecting her from the blow. Their flipped…once…twice. Nikki was disoriented as she looked around. She felt a heavy weight on top of her, but she could barely see in front of her. She could hear the sirens of the ambulance, coming closer as she closed her eyes, and the last thing she heard before everything went silent was G whispering 'I love you.'

* * *

><p>The next time Nikki opened her eyes, she was staring at a bright light in a bright pink hospital room. She looked around. She couldn't remember how she got here. All she could remember was the rain coming down extremely hard, the flashing lights and G…She slowly began to panic. She had no idea if he had survived, let alone where he was. She tried getting up, but she felt a strong hand, push her back down into her bed.<p>

"Nikki, you need to rest, you just went through a horrific car accident," said the person that was pushing her back down. She looked up at the voice, to see Sam smiling down at her. She smiled back at him, and slowly stopped panicking. Sam slowly pulled his arm away from her.

"Where's G," Nikki asked, as she rested against her pillows, looking around the room. Sam's eyes begin to shift back and forth. He hadn't wanted to be in the room, when she woke up and asked about G. It wasn't good. G had taken the brunt of the hit, trying to protect her from any injuries and ended up giving him self a couple of broken ribs, a broken wrist, eighteen stitches to close the gash in his head and a concussion for his troubles. Nikki herself had a broken ankle and needed twenty stitches in her arm, from when the windshield broke in and sliced her arm open.

"Sam, where's G," Nikki said starting to panic once more. She couldn't lose him, everything was finally going they wanted things to go and she didn't even want to think about the possibility that she might lose him after everything, she had come close to it three months ago and she did NOT want to go back there. Nikki didn't want to think about being alone again, she didn't want to know that she had to bury someone else that she loved dearly. Tears began to fill her eyes. Sam looked at her and inwardly groaned. This was the exact reason why he did not want to be in the room when Nikki found out about G.

"He fine, Nikki," he explained. Nikki looked at him doubtful. Sam inwardly groaned again. He should have known better. Nikki wasn't an easy person to fool, but how do say that 'your finacé is currently in a coma, and it doesn't look like he'll be waking up anytime soon, oh here's the kicker, you were both on your way to a surprise party that your best friend was throwing for your twenty-seventh birthday and to congratulate you both on getting engaged, but he didn't know that latter.' You can't…easily anyway.

"Nikki, just get some rest and we'll give you news, as soon as we can," Sam said, hoping that Nikki would calm down. It did the exact opposite.

"Does that mean you have no news, or that you have news and you'll worried about how I'll take it, so you're not saying a word," Nikki said. Sam swore under his breath. She was Hetty's granddaughter and she obviously inherited the knowing, hearing and seeing absolute everything and anything. Nikki continued to stare at Sam, as his eyes began to shift back and forth. She had never seen him like this and it was completely out of character for him.

"Oh god, please tell me he isn't," Nikki gasped. She had begun to suspect the worst.

"Nicole," said Hetty from the door, Sam turned around to look at her and once he did, he fled the room. That was something else that made Nikki completely worried. Hetty surveyed her granddaughter over her glasses. She was glad that Nikki was alive, it had been touch and go for awhile according to the paramedics, but she had pulled through, which was more than they could say for Mr. Callen. He had flat lined twice on their way to the hospital and then a third time on the operating table. It would be miracle if he wasn't brain dead.

"Grams, he's okay right," Nikki asked again. No one was giving her the information she needed and wanted. She was so close to breaking down, when the doctor walked in. Hetty quickly stepped aside, while the doctor motioned for Nikki to sit up. She did as she was told.

"Okay, Ms. Daniels, I want you to follow the light the best you can," the doctor said, as he pulled a thin flash light from his coat pocket. Nikki nodded, blinking quickly when he flashed the light directly in her eye, but followed it the best she could, while he waved it around her head. The doctor nodded and then turned to Hetty.

"A small concussion, and as you know the broken ankle and the twenty stitches, but she'll be fine," the doctor said, as he made some notes on his clipboard. Nikki shook her head, she just turned twenty-seven almost a week ago and this doctor was treating her like she was thirteen again. She stuck her tongue out at him as he left the room. Hetty tried to give her a stern look, but failed.

"Are you feeling okay," Hetty asked, "honestly?"

"Honestly? My head's spinning and I have pain shooting through my entire right arm and left leg, and no one is telling me anything about how my fiancé is, but other than that, nothing I can't handle," Nikki said, giving her grandmother a small smile.

"That's good, now Nikki, I will take you too Mr. Callen, if you think you can handle it," Hetty said. She didn't want to do this, but she knew that Nikki wouldn't rest until she either got to see G or she got some news, and once she heard the news, she'd want to see it for herself, so Hetty was just going to skip that part. Nikki looked at her grandmother. The last car accident she had been was much worse, but she was out of bed, not even two days later, to be with her grandfather. She knew that something was extremely wrong, but she nodded anyway and made to get out of the bed. Suddenly the spinning feeling she had, went out of control. She braced herself against the bed, trying to make it stop.

Hetty quickly handed her the bucket that was beside her bed. Nikki took it just in time.

"Maybe we should wait, until you can stand without your head spinning," Hetty said, but she knew that Nikki wanted to see G. She wanted to know, why no one was telling her anything. She wanted to know, what was so bad. She had to see him and she was determined to do so.

"No, I need to know. I need to see him. He'd do the same thing, if he wasn't getting news about me," Nikki said, shaking her head. Hetty looked at her granddaughter again, before motioning for someone outside to come in. Nikki eye's squinted when she saw Tony walk into the room pushing a wheelchair in front of him.

"What are you doing here," Nikki asked, as Tony helped her into the wheelchair.

"I came to celebrate your birthday, but then I find out that you were in a car accident, I rushed right over," Tony said, trying to smile the best he could. He almost lost his "little sister" again tonight, and it scared him.

* * *

><p>The walk from her room to G's took forever to Nikki. She was so worried, about what she might see. She wasn't even sure if she could handle what she saw, but she needed to know, she needed to be sure that G was okay and the last seven months with him, weren't going to be the only ones. She began to fiddle with the engagement ring on her finger. She was so scared, but she wanted…no, needed to know.<p>

"Okay, are you sure Nikki, we can turn back," Tony said, stopping at a door. Nikki looked up at him and then at the door. She stayed quiet for a moment, before she nodded once more. Tony and Nikki both took a deep breath, as they entered the room. Nikki's eyes went wide, when she saw G lying on the hospital bed. He had a tube down his throat to help him breathe and a badge around his head. His face and arms were covered with scratches from when the glass broke. Her eyes began to water when she saw him. She motioned for Tony to push her closer.

Tony looked at Nikki. He knew that she was having trouble taking him in like this, but he knew that if he tried to wheel her out of the room, it would only make her mad, and that was the last thing they needed right now. Tony pushed her towards the bed. Nikki grabbed one of G's hands. It was so limp. If the heart monitor wasn't beeping, she would think that he was dead. Her tears began to flow down her face, as she peppered his hand with kisses.

Tony's heart was breaking at the scene in front of him. Nikki looked more broken now then she ever did before. She had tears streaming down her face, as she continued to hold his hand to his face and kiss it, hoping that maybe he would wake up.

"Nikki maybe-"

"No," she shouted, "I need to be here when he wakes up." She had no doubt that he would wake up. She didn't want to doubt it, she needed hope.

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><p><em>Callen could hear Nikki crying while he sat on the beach. He had no idea where she was, but still he could hear her sobs. He could also hear Tony, trying to get her to leave, but she just wouldn't, she wanted to stay with him, but she wasn't with him. He couldn't see her anywhere. He looked out onto the water. It was peaceful here. He didn't have a worry in the world. All of his scares were gone and he didn't have this empty feeling.<em>

_He continued to sit on the beach, looking out onto the water, until he felt someone tap him on the shoulder. He quickly turned around and saw someone he did not recognize, but she recognized him._

"_It's nice to meet you G Callen."_

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><p><strong>AN: *cowers behind 1967 Chevy Impala and Dean Winchester* You all must hate me…as soon as something good happens to Nikki and G, something bad happens. Don't worry, I promise G and Nikki will get married. I wouldn't have it any other way. I hope you enjoyed this chapter (which was just in time for tonight's episode…I know I didn't do that on purpose…or maybe I did.)**

**xo**


	30. Chapter 30: Lost and Then Found

**A/N: Hi Everyone, **

**This chapter is dedicated to Druid Archer, whose last review made me laugh so hard, I almost died, but that does not give anyone to the right to threaten the super angsty plot bunny that is hoping around in my head. Just joking. :P**

**ENJOY!**

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><p><span>Chapter Thirty: Lost and then Found<span>

"It's such a change," Nikki whispered, as she held onto G's hand trying to desperately keep it together. She had been released two days ago, but was refusing to leave the hospital. She didn't want to go home; everything there reminded her of G. It had only been a week since the accident and she missed him, like he had been gone for a year. She kissed her hand, one more time before she left the room.

"What's a change," Tony asked, as he walked with her to the cafeteria. Nikki looked at him and shook her head. She knew he would understand, but everything just seemed to be messed up. Nikki and G just getting engaged, and then almost a week later, they get in a car accident, which leaves G in a coma. She hated the world right now, and if it wasn't for the hope she had, she would have given up a long time ago. Tony looked at Nikki. She had large bags under her eyes, her hair was tangled and she looked like she hadn't showered, slept or eaten in days. This was the Nikki that almost died eight years ago, not the Nikki she had become.

"Nikki," he said, trying to get her attention. She was wringing her hands, and not listening to him, as she turned the corner. She had this vacant expression on her face, which reminded Tony of the night that he found out she had been slitting her wrists.

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><p><em>Nikki was sitting in her apartment a razor in her hand and her wrist was bleeding. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath as she felt her emotional pain, start to leave her. She relaxed against the back of her couch, as she held her closed. Slowly she started to relax. Suddenly there was a sharp knock on her door. Nikki jumped up, throwing the razor in a bowl with her keys and grabbed a sweater and put it on.<em>

_She didn't want anyone to know what she had just done._

"_Nik, you in there?" She heard Tony call. She cursed under her breath, as she walked over to the door. She pulled it open and threw herself into Tony's arms. He laughed, but he could tell that something was bothering her. He looked around the room, but nothing was out of place. _

"_So the usual tonight, we put on a movie, and pig out on Chinese," Tony asked. Nikki smiled and nodded. She had picked up a bunch of movies for them to watch, when she went out earlier that morning. Tony walked in and took of his jacket. Nikki walked towards the kitchen to grab Tony his usual beer and her soda. He looked at her. His brow furrowed. There was something different about Nikki. She's usually talking up a storm when he gets here, telling her about her day or complaining about the building management, but she was never this quiet. He looked her up and down._

_She was losing a lot of weight quickly considering, their weekly pig outs. Her arms were turned into tooth picks and she had a dark red…_

"_Nikki, what's that," Tony said, sounding almost angry._

"_What's what?"_

"_That dark red patch you have on your arm," Tony said. Nikki quickly looked down at her wrist and quickly hid it behind her back_

"_It's nothing, Tony," she said, as she turned away from him to go into the kitchen. It took him two strides to cross the room, and grab her hand. He pulled the sleeve of her sweater up and looked at the cut on her wrist. She closed her eyes. She was so ashamed that Tony found out her secret._

"_Nikki, why," he asked, his voice calm, but thick with anger. Nikki opened her mouth to explain, but she shut it as quickly as she opened it and just shrugged at him. Tony walked her over to the kitchen and turned on the kitchen sink. He put a dish cloth under the cold water and dapped the cut with it. She watched silently, as Tony got the bleeding to stop. She felt so foolish now. She felt like she had let him down._

"_Nikki, talk to me. You're doing this for a reason," Tony said, as he wrapped a bandage around her wrist. She looked down at the counter, here eyes beginning to fill with tears._

"_Because for those moments, all the other pain disappears. The flashbacks stop and all I can focus on is the bleeding and that pain. It's my get away, because no one cares," Nikki said, as she broke down. Tony gathered her in his arms and rocked her back forth as she cried._

"_I care. I care what happens to you Nik, you're my baby sister, I'll always care," Tony whispered in her ear, as she cried. She smiled at him through the tears. That night, they went about there usual routine, and Nikki was beginning to return back to her normal self. That night, as Nikki was falling asleep in Tony's arms on the couch. He made her promise him something._

"_I want you to promise me you'll never slit your wrists again," Tony whispered, as he shut off the TV. Nikki snuggled deeper into his arms._

"_I promise."_

* * *

><p>"Nikki," Tony called, as they continued to walk through the hospital halls. Nikki turned and looked at him. She was confused.<p>

"You're not thinking about slitting your wrists again, are you," he asked. Nikki looked at him in surprise. She hadn't even been thinking about that, all her focus had been on G. He had been the only thing on her mind since she was released from the hospital. She looked at Tony once more and saw the concern on his face, as she thought about that night, when he made her promise to stop slitting her wrists. That night had been the last night she did it. She had never done it again.

"Tony, I meant my promise to you that night and I will keep it. I know better than I did then," Nikki said, as she looked out the window, that they were standing beside. It had been raining since the accident. The sun hadn't shined once in the past week and her hope was slowly diminishing, as the rain continued to fall. If only they hadn't been going out that night, if only the rain hadn't been falling so hard, if only they had been a few minutes later. There were so many 'what if's' running through her head, as she looked out that window with Tony.

Tony wrapped an arm around her. He knew that she was keeping it together the best she could. She broke down that first day, but she hadn't cried since. Kensi was avoiding seeing either of them. She felt she was to blame for them being in that car accident. If she had just planned the party for the Friday, instead of the Saturday, then the accident could have been avoided altogether.

Nikki leaned into Tony's arms, as the tears began to fall.

"I need him to wake up Tony," Nikki sobbed into his shoulder, "He needs to wake up. Everything was perfect. We're going to get married." Tony's eyes filled with tears at listening to her sob. She seemed more broken now then she ever did before. The world already was so cruel to her. She had grandparents that didn't love her, she had lost her parents at such a young age, she had been kidnapped and raped by a man that only had been hired to get to someone through her, she was forced to lie about her tormenter's death, she was then kidnapped by said tormenter, and then her fiancé goes into a coma, because of a car crash, which was the same way she lost her grandfather.

"It'll be okay. G will wake up Nik, he wouldn't leave you now. He loves you too much," Tony said, as he rubbed her back. She smiled into his shoulder, the best she could, but the tears continued to fall. If G didn't get through this, what would that say about her?

* * *

><p>"<em>Who are you," G asked. He looked at the brunette suspiciously. She looked extremely familiar, and she smelt like the beach and the spray of sea water. The woman smiled at him, and lead him to a scene, that he had seen many times in his dreams. A woman sitting, while her two children played not far from her. G frowned, what did this have to do with who she was.<em>

_He continued to watch, as the two men, walked up to the small family and shoot the mother and then it dawned on him. He looked at his mother and then at the brunette beside him. They looked so similar._

"_Mom," G whispered, while looking at the woman. She smiled and nodded. G's eyes went wide and he looked the woman that was lying on the beach and then suddenly she disappeared along with her two children. G looked around and then he saw that he was on the beach near Nikki's and his place. His mother was still standing beside him._

_He saw Nikki and him, sitting on a picnic table, sharing an ice cream. His mother smiled, as she watched Nikki feed him a spoon full. He smiled, but confusion filled his eyes._

"_What am I doing here," he asked. His mother smiled._

"_You're here, because it's not time for you to move on, but you're brain wants to," his mother explained frowning. He looked back at him and Nikki. She had told him once, about a dream that she had after their first mission together. She said that during the time, that she was still asleep. She had seen an old friend of hers that had died seven years ago._

"_Do I get the choice to go back or go with you," G asked. His mother nodded a smile on her face. She was so glad that he was here standing in front of him. She had been watching him grow up and be the man that he is today. She hated the life he had after she had died, but his father was still out there, but they had decided that for his safety, his children wouldn't know who he was, until it was safe._

"_Do you know what waits for me, if I return," G asked. Stacey, leaned her head to one side, and thought about it for a moment, she wasn't able to give him a lot of information. She knew that Kate Todd had told Nikki, to hold onto G and never let go, but at the same time, there was so much she wanted to tell G. She wanted to tell him his first name, and she wanted to tell him in extreme detail what exactly the world had in store for him. It took her some time, but when she finally decided what she wanted to tell him, she knew that it was the right thing._

"_Love her, Gregory, love her."_

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><p>Nikki and Tony were walking back to G's room, when they saw the doctors run past them and into G's room. Nikki's eyes went wide and she dropped her coffee, as she ran. She ran as fast as her feet could carry her, Tony not far behind her. The doctors were in the room, standing over his bed, smiling. Nikki eyes grew huge, as she watched Dr. Whitaker take tube out of G's mouth. His eyes were open and he was looking around for her. She pushed her hand against the glass, wanting nothing more than to be in that room with him, but the room was too crowded with the amount of doctors and nurses already in there.<p>

Nikki took a seat on the bench outside G's room, waiting until she could go back in and be with him. She was so happy that he was awake, and she couldn't wait to hold him again. She couldn't wait to hear his voice again. It had only been a week and she was glad that he was awake, but she just couldn't wait to see him, talk to him, listen to his voice and kiss him like her very life depended on it. One by one the nurses and doctors exited until Dr. Whitaker, stood in front of Nikki. Wrapping her arms around herself, she stood up to hear what the doctor said.

"Will he be okay," Nikki asked. The doctor smiled at her.

"He's fine, he'll make a full recovery and there doesn't seem to be any lasting damage," Dr. Whitaker said, before patting Nikki on the shoulder and walking away. Nikki jumped up and down, than smiled at Tony, before she ran into the room. G smiled once he saw her, and she grabbed his hand and held it in hers, as she peppered his face with kisses.

"I missed you," Nikki said, as she continued to kiss G. G smiled at her, lifting one of his hands and grasping onto her neck to keep her in place. He kissed her slowly and passionately on the lips. Both of them smiled into the kiss. Nikki pulled away from the kiss sooner than she would have liked, but she needed to know that G was okay. She needed to know, where he was hurt, she just needed to know.

"Are you okay," Nikki asked, pulling a chair towards the bed, and sitting down on it, never releasing her hand from his.

"I'm better now that you're here," G said, lifting Nikki's hand to his mouth and kissing it. She smiled at him. She had been really worried that something would go wrong when he woke up. She had come up with several scenarios where he wouldn't remember her, or he'd be brain dead or paralyzed. In all of the scenarios she still loved him, and she took care of her, but she was glad that none of them were a reality. She squeezed G's hand and he returned it.

"I love you," Nikki whispered as she kissed his hand a few more times. G smiled at her.

"I love you too."

* * *

><p>The next day at OPS everyone was silent. No one knew what was going on at the hospital. They knew that Nikki was there and she would call them if she had any news on how G was doing, but everyday the news was the same. 'He's still in his coma', 'he doesn't look like he'll be waking up today' or 'please stop calling me, I'll let you know if anything changes, but you're all making this even harder.' They were all code for, today was not G's day.<p>

The office was filled with despair without Nikki and G's smiling faces. It was their personalities that brought smiling faces to theirs and it was their love that made them feel happiness, but with Nikki and G both at the hospital it just seemed like a dark cloud hovered over the OPS centre. Deeks wasn't joking, Sam wasn't smiling and Kensi looked like something the cat had dragged in. She had been feeling extremely guilty. The night of the accident, she had cried herself to sleep and was making herself sick from the guilt.

Kensi wasn't able to visit Nikki or G at the hospital, because of how sick she was. She had been throwing up constantly since she had heard about the accident. She threw up at the club, and then at the hospital when she saw Nikki and G both lying there and then she threw up a few more times when she got home. She had no idea what was wrong with her. She had never felt this guilty in her life before, but she never felt that she was the reason why an accident happened.

Sam's phone began to ring. He glared at it, but picked it up once he saw that it was Nikki. He was ready for any kind of news at this point and even if there was no change, that was better then bad news. He preferred that to hearing that G was dead.

"Hanna speaking," Sam said.

"Sam, it's me, he's awake."

* * *

><p>Nikki was sitting on G's bed, feeding him his soup, when the team barged in. Nikki looked at them in surprise and then went back to feeding G, who smiled at the team and then at her. Sam looked at the couple and rolled his eyes. He couldn't believe, how loving they were. G was awake, and fine, but here Nikki was feeding him something, that he could easily drink through a straw if his hands were broken.<p>

"How are you G," Sam asked, as he took a seat on the chair that Nikki vacated to feed G his soup.

"I'm really good," G said smiling. He was so happy to have them all there. Kensi looked between the two and smiled. Neither one of them had lasting scars nor she was so happy until that urge to throw up, came back. She ran from the room and into the bathroom down the hall. Nikki looked at Sam and Deeks in confusion. Both of them shrugged at her, not willing to give her an explanation.

Kensi felt her hair, being pulled away from her face, as she lost whatever was in her stomach. As soon as she was finished, she stood up slowly and walked over to the sink to rinse out her mouth. Nikki leaned against the bathroom stall and looked at her best friend.

"When were you going to tell me you were pregnant?"

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><p><strong>AN: G waking up was not planned this chapter, but I think it needed to be done. Oh and how many of you saw the last line coming? Let me know what you think.**

**xo**


	31. Chapter 31: You Lied To Me

**A/N: Hi Everyone, **

**I am so glad you all enjoy reading this, as much as I love writing it. Inspiration has been a little scarce this week, because NCIS: LA didn't have a new episode and neither did Criminal Minds, so you'll have to bear with me and plus, one of co-workers was let go this week, and everything at the office, has become a little hectic. I'm still trying to write and update, so don't worry. I can't promise that there won't be anymore speed bumps along the way, but I can promise you that G and Nikki will be together at the end, but the end is NOWHERE in sight. **

**Enjoy!**

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><p><span>Chapter Thirty-One: You Lied to Me<span>

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><p>Kensi looked at Nikki, while she rinsed out her mouth. She thought back to the last time, she had sex. It had been with Deeks, about a month ago. They had been keeping it a secret, because they saw the way that everyone was watching G and Nikki, waiting for something to happen and they didn't want that for themselves. Nikki's arms were now crossed, and she was staring intently at her best friend. She knew of the first time that Deeks and Kensi had sex. That had been around the same time that G and her had sex for the first time. Kensi faltered under Nikki's glare and turned and looked at herself in the mirror. She had been throwing up since the accident, but she had thought it was guilt. She looked at Nikki and then back to her reflection.<p>

"Kensi," Nikki said, "Do you have something that you need to tell me?" Kensi's eyes began to shift back and forth from Nikki's reflection back to hers. Nikki's arms were still crossed. As far as Nikki knew Kensi wasn't having sex with anybody, and the only person that Nikki knew Kensi felt any sort of attachment to was Deeks and the only time they had sex was…Nikki's eyes went wide. Kensi's eyes closed. She could see that Nikki had worked it all out and Kensi didn't even have to say a thing.

"How long," Nikki asked. Kensi could hear the hurt in her voice.

"I don't even know if I am pregnant," Kensi said. Nikki looked at her best friend in disbelief.

"Not, that. I mean, how long have you been sneaking around with Deeks," Nikki said. The hurt in her voice was now filled with anger. She couldn't believe that Kensi had openly lied to her.

"Since the weekend after you and G got back together," Kensi whispered, but it was loud and clear enough that Nikki heard it. Nikki put her hand to her mouth, and stared at Kensi in shock. For the past four years, they had told each other everything. Kensi was the first to know about Nikki's feelings about G, and Nikki had been the first to guess that Kensi liked Deeks. Nikki had been the person that talked Kensi out of needing to change partners.

"You lied to me, for three months?" Kensi looked up at her best friend, and saw the hurt that Nikki had on her face. Nikki's eyes were wide as she stared at her best friend, before she left the bathroom in a hurry, leaving Kensi in the bathroom. She hurried into G's room, kissed him quickly, glared at Deeks and left the room with her coat and bag. G looked extremely confused and then looked to Deeks who paled considerably.

"What's wrong with you," G asked. Deeks looked at him and then at Kensi who just entered the room, sobbing. All three of them looked at Kensi in even more confusion. It was extremely unlike Nikki to leave if Kensi was having some kind of crisis. Today was just going to be one of those days.

"Kensi, have you been crying," G asked. Kensi didn't even spare any of them a glance, she too grabbed her coat and bag and went to run after Nikki, but Nikki's hurried exit from the bathroom and G's room, gave her a considerable head start. She wanted to explain, if Nikki would let her, but with everything that happened during Nikki's childhood and teenage years and the years following, she would understand if Nikki needed sometime before she even thought about speaking to her.

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><p>"Okay, I just called Nikki, see if she could shed some light on her and Kensi's abrupt exit, but all she told me, well more like yelled at me, was that I should ask Deeks, and she needs sometime to cool off, and she'll see you tomorrow G, and she wanted me to give you a kiss, but I'll have to pass on that for like ever" Sam said, as he put his cell phone back in his pocket. G looked at Deeks, with a glare that clearly said, 'You better explain quickly and fully, why my fiancée is upset and she's telling me to ask you why.' Deeks gulped quickly and then looked down. It had been his idea to keep it a secret from everyone…even Nikki, which now that he thought about wasn't a good idea, because she was Kensi's best friend and that put her in an awkward position.<p>

"Um, well you see," Deeks started, but then he began to think about everything that Nikki and G went through because of how public their relationship was. He knew that if he lied, it would only make Nikki more upset and Kensi would definitely think, that he doesn't want people to know that he was sleeping with her, when in reality it was killing him to have people not know. It came down to whether or not he wanted to ruin friendships or if he wanted to keep the best thing to happen to him a secret.

"We see what," G asked. He was beginning to get impatient. Nikki had been so happy when he woke up, that she barely wanted to be away from him and then in a matter of minutes after the team shows up, she's up and gone, and an even bigger problem is, she's upset and he can't make her feel better, because she's left the hospital. Sam rubbed a hand against his face. This was like pulling teeth.

"I've sort of been seeing Kensi," Deeks said. Sam and G exchanged a look, and then looked back at Deeks, waiting for him to explain further. The seeing Kensi part wouldn't have made both girls upset. There had to be more to it. There had to be a lot more to it.

"How long, have you been 'sort of' seeing each other," Sam asked. They needed to ask the right questions if they wanted to get to the bottom of this, and Deeks wasn't going to expand on anything unless he absolutely had to.

"Since, the weekend after you guys returned from Norfolk," Deeks winced, as he looked down at his lap. Sam and G looked at Deeks, their eyes were wide.

"I'm going to take a guess here and say that you both decided not to tell anyone and Nikki found out and is royally pissed off with Kensi and you. Kensi because she's her best friend and they tell each other everything and you because well you're you," G said. Deeks looked at G and glared, but nodded anyway. Sam groaned. He could not understand how someone could be stupid enough to get in-between two best friends, especially two best friends that have access to guns and a elderly woman that could probably kill you with her letter opener. G stared at Sam and then he thought about, how he was going to have to listen Nikki go on and on and on about how angry she was at Kensi and as much as he loved her and wanted to marry her, this was not a good thing…that was Kensi was for, and now because of what Deeks did…they had to fix this.

"Sam, should we let him suffer, or should we help him," G asked, as he sat up to finish eating his soup. Sam looked at him and then at Deeks. On one hand, he didn't tell them that he had been sleeping with Kensi, on the other hand, he and Kensi decided that it would be okay if she lied to Nikki. Either way it was going to be no good. His experience with G and Nikki told him not to get involved. You leave them to figure it out, and since it was Nikki and Kensi that were fighting, they were better off just being shoulders to lean on and let them fight it out, but if anything it will be a long time coming especially since Kensi had been lying to her for three months.

"No, I think we should let him deal with both of them bitching," Sam said. Deeks looked at the pair with wide eyes. If he had to deal with them complaining about the other, he would seriously go crazy. Kensi he knew how to deal with, but Nikki brought crazy to a whole other level…not that he would say that to her face, because well…she could be kind of scary. He looked down at his lap. He really cared about Kensi, and at the same time he knew that it was wrong that they wanted to keep a secret from everyone including her best friend. If anything she could have been a great ally, if Hetty wanted to separate them, Nikki could have spoken to her and talked her into letting them continue to be partners, but now, they'd be lucky if Nikki even let them into the wedding party.

* * *

><p>Nikki could tell that Kensi was following her. The entire way back to her and G's house, the same black sedan that Kensi now drove was following her. She was tempted to roll her eyes, but at the same time, she felt guilt creep into her. She never gave Kensi the chance to explain herself. Explain why she lied to her, explain why she didn't want her to know, why they had kept it a secret. She shook her head. She had nothing to feel guilty about. Kensi had lied straight to her face and broke the one promise Nikki had expected her to keep. She still wanted Kensi to be her maid of honor at her and G's wedding, but what happened if Kensi was pregnant during the wedding. She couldn't honestly let her best friend stand the whole ceremony, that late into the pregnancy. Could she wait to marry G? She did want Kensi to be part of the wedding, so could she honestly wait to marry G?<p>

* * *

><p>Kensi followed Nikki the best she could. She could tell from Nikki's hasty exit that at this point in time, she did not want to talk to her, look at her or even breathe in her general direction. She felt sick again. She pulled over in the drug store parking lot, as she watched Nikki turn at the lights. Kensi put her hand on her stomach and looked at the note, that Deeks had left in her car.<p>

'_I Love You.'_

She smiled. He had been really sweet the last three months and she had felt extremely guilty when she told Nikki, that she hadn't been seeing anyone. It hurt her more than ever to have to lie to her best friend. She knew that she had a choice, but at the time it seemed like it was the best choice. She knew that if she went back, she'd do it over. She tell Deeks that Nikki needed to know, she couldn't do that to her best friend, because in the end it wasn't worth that hate in Nikki's eyes.

Tears began to fall as sobs racked Kensi's body. It was too much. She never thought she'd be on the receiving end of Nikki's hatred. She looked at the picture of her and Nikki that was in her wallet. It was at the Halloween party that they threw. Both of them were dressed as the Andrew Sisters…Nell had been the third and while they were waiting her to arrive, they took a picture of just the two of them. The pair of them were sitting on the sectional couch that Nikki had in her living room. There legs were crossed and they had one hand raised in a salute and the other was placed softly in their laps. Their hair was curled.

* * *

><p>"<em>I can't believe we never thought of this before," Nikki said, as she curled Kensi's hair for her. Enrique Iglesias was playing in the background and they were both softly singing along with him. Nikki danced around while she curled the last bit of Kensi's hair making her laugh. The rest of the team would be here in an hour or so and they couldn't wait to see the costumes. Nell and both of them had decided to dress up as the legendary Andrews Sisters. Nikki was dressed as Maxene, Kensi was Laverne and Nell would be coming as Patty. <em>

"_Do you know what G will be dressing up as," Kensi asked, as she watched Nikki make a complete fool of herself. Nikki shook her head._

"_He won't tell me. He even kept his costume at Sam's house, so that I couldn't sneak a peak," Nikki said, as she pouted. Kensi laughed. Sam, Deeks, Eric and G had been extremely secretive about they would be dressing up as for the Halloween party and it frustrated both Nikki and Kensi. Nikki knew that Nate was coming as Sigmund Freud and Hetty would be coming as Snow White, but she had no idea what the rest were coming as and it was officially killing her. She knew that Grams knew, because every time Kensi and she would be talking about it, she would walk by either smirking or laughing and it was effectively driving them both crazy. _

"_As long as they're on time, we won't have to wait long," Kensi said patting her hand against the top of Nikki's head. Nikki's laughter rung out._

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><p>The four of them had been an hour late. Nikki almost didn't speak to G the entire party, but she couldn't keep from laughing when she saw him walk in dressed up as one of the seven dwarfs. Sneezy. Sam had been dressed up as Doc, while Eric had dressed up as Sleepy, but the funniest of them all and probably most expected was Deeks as Dopey. Nikki hadn't stayed mad at G for long, and they ended up not taking a foot away from each other the entire night.<p>

Kensi looked up at the drug store and decided once and for all what she needed to do. Before she could even apologize to Nikki for lying to her over the past three months, she needed to know if she was actually pregnant and it wasn't the actual guilt for all that lying. She swallowed thickly, grabbed her purse and stepped out of her car. It took all her strength to walk in there by herself. Looking back she never imagined this for herself. She imagined that she'd be married and Nikki would walking in there right beside her. Reality was, she was with someone she loved, but hardly anyone knew the truth, she definitely wasn't married and her best friend wasn't talking to her.

Real Life sucked.

* * *

><p>Nikki sat in her kitchen, sipping at the tea she made to calm herself down. G had called about 15 minutes ago and according to the doctor's he could come home tonight, if he abstained from any strenuous activity and that included sex. She looked at the wall opposite her for sometime, until the doorbell rang. Nikki closed her eyes, knowing who it would be, she took a slow deep breath, before she emptied the contents of her cup into the sink and put in the dish washer.<p>

Slowly Nikki walked to the door, and looked through the peep hole. She saw Kensi standing there waiting patiently. At the sight of her best friend Nikki felt extreme anger, but as she took another deep breath that anger soon disappeared and it was replaced with guilt. She had jumped to conclusions and didn't even allow Kensi to explain. Her mother had always taught her not to do that. She swallowed her pride and slowly opened the door. She was about to say something, when she saw the tears in Kensi's eyes. Slowly the guilt intensified as she watched Kensi's body wrack with sobs.

"What's wrong," Nikki asked, as she wrapped her arms around Kensi. Kensi continued to cry, as Nikki led her into the living room. She slowly took the plastic bag from the drug store away from Kensi and looked inside. There must have been at least 5 different brands of pregnancy tests, and two of each.

"I couldn't do it by myself," Kensi said. Nikki looked up at her and then sat down beside her. Nikki smiled at her.

"I'm sorry I didn't let you explain." "I'm sorry I lied to you." Nikki and Kensi chuckled softly. They had apologized at the exact same time.

"I wanted you to be there, when I found out," Kensi said, grabbing the bag from Nikki's hands, her tears slowly drying. Nikki smiled and opened the bag. She took out two of the pregnancy tests. She handed one to Kensi. Kensi looked at her completely confused, as Nikki walked into the kitchen, only to walk back out with two water bottles.

"I'm not going to let you do this alone. We'll each take one," Nikki explained. Kensi smiled. She should have known Nikki would never let her have to go through this alone, especially when the possible father was sitting at the hospital having to face his two friends. The best friends quickly chugged down the water bottles and slowly they watched as the minutes passed by on the clock.

* * *

><p>Both tests were used and now all they had to do was wait for was the ding of the kitchen timer. They tried talking, but they were both waiting and waiting. Nikki felt like she had nothing to worry about. G and her were always careful, but all it would take is one time. The ding of the timer on the oven made them both jump.<p>

"The moment of truth," Nikki sighed, as she watched Kensi slowly reach for hers, and then hand it to Nikki. Nikki looked at the one in her hand and she too slowly handed it to Kensi.

"We'll read each other's," Nikki said. Kensi smiled and looked down at the one in her hand.

"We'll say it on the count of three," Kensi replied. Nikki nodded and they slowly began to count down.

"1…"

"2…"

"3…"

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><p><strong>AN: *hides behind Damon Salvatore, Dean Winchester and the impala* I have a feeling you all hate me right now, especially since I am going to leave you hanging like this. Well I hoped you all enjoyed it. I thought the Andrews Sisters were perfect for their Halloween costumes, if you look them up it, you'll understand.**

**xo**


	32. Chapter 32: One Positive One Negative

**A/N: Hi Ever****yone, **

**Last chapter's cliff hanger, had everyone hanging onto more and me hiding behind Damon and Dean in case anyone tried to maim me. I've set up a poll that I would like you to take a look at on my profile and please vote on. Work has been hectic, since my co-worker left, while another will be going on vacation soon and I will be leaving as soon as my contract is over on the 23. I promise I'll update as much as I can especially with Christmas coming and my dad having the 'great' idea to go up North…with no internet…or cell reception to have an old fashioned Christmas. If I don't update by the 3rd of January, I've frozen to death along with my brothers, sister and mother because of my father's bright idea and you can go on without me and all my reviewers will have to find someone to take my place. I hope that doesn't happen though. **

**ANYWAYS…**

**ENJOY!**

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><p><span>Chapter Thirty-Two: One Positive One Negative<span>

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><p>That night when G, Sam and Deeks walked into Nikki and G's home they found Nikki and Kensi both wrapped in warm blankets, and sipping on hot chocolate as they watched Patrick Dempsey in 'Made of Honor'. Both them were so entranced by the movie that they didn't notice the guys walking in. It seemed as though they had made up hours ago and were no longer fighting, which made the guys completely unsure which was scarier. The two of them fighting or the fact that they weren't fighting anymore that quickly. They silently walked past them and into the kitchen where they sat down on the table, where the two tests sat on opposite sides of the table, Kensi and Nikki having forgotten about them in their happiness.<p>

G walked over to the table and picked up the test that was sitting closest to the fridge. He looked at the little window and there it read, clear as day. Pregnant. 2-3 Weeks. He quickly grabbed the back of the chair and fell into it. He couldn't believe it. He honestly couldn't believe it. Nikki and him had been so careful and yet here sat a positive pregnancy test. On the opposite side of the table sat Deeks with a pregnancy test in his hands as well, but this one it was negative. He took a deep breath.

Sam walked over to them and saw what was in their hands. He could see the different looks on their faces, but then he remembered who they were and who they were attached to in the living room. As far as he knew Nikki hadn't been throwing up and she had just gone through a horrific car accident, so the doctors would have caught it, had she been pregnant and plus she wasn't the one that had been throwing up for the past few weeks…but then again pregnancy was a funny thing. Sam was about to open his mouth and say something, when G quickly walked out of the kitchen and into the living room towards the pair of best friends.

He grabbed the remote from the table. G went completely ignored, because the two best friends were too busy watching as Patrick Dempsey kissed his best friend at her Bachelorette party. He turned off the TV making both of them jump and look at him.

"G," Nikki whined. He looked at her with a look of determination and shock. She looked at him and back at the TV.

"Nikki, can I speak to you in the bathroom," G asked. Nikki looked at him and then unwrapped herself placed her empty mug on the table and walked with G to the bathroom silently. Nikki leaned against the counter silently, while she watched G lock the door behind them. When he turned and looked at her, she saw what he had been holding in his hands. The positive pregnancy test.

"Is there something you need to tell me," G asked, as he held it up for her to see. Nikki looked at him and smiled, before she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close to her.

"We're not pregnant," Nikki said in a slow voice. G looked at her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"The, how come it's positive," G asked, as he leaned against the bathroom wall of the cramped downstairs bathroom. Nikki lay her head against his shoulder and looked up at him, while she traced a pattern on his covered chest.

"Mine was the negative one," Nikki said. G looked down at Nikki, his confusion still evident in his eyes.

"The one on the opposite side of the table," Nikki explained, pushing herself away from G to look at him properly. The confusion was still there. Her eye's widened.

"If you saw, the positive one, that would mean either Sam or-"

"It was Deeks," G confirmed. Nikki gasped bringing the hand that wasn't holding her up to her mouth.

"That's even worse," Nikki groaned. She leaned her forehead against G's shoulder again. Kensi had planned on telling Deeks on Christmas Morning, but now that he had seen the negative test, it was only going to make it worse, because he was going to ask about it and Kensi would have to tell him the truth. G smiled, as he rubbed Nikki's back.

"I love you. You know that right," G said, as he kissed Nikki's head. He felt her smile into his shoulder.

"Even if I was fat and pregnant," Nikki asked, looking up at him. G smiled down at her and softly kissed her. The kiss turned more passionate and Nikki wound her arms around her arms back around G's neck, as he leaned into her. Something in the back of Nikki's mind was telling her that this was neither the place nor time to do this, they had guests and G just got out of the hospital on the condition that he didn't do any strenuous activity. Nikki pulled away from the kiss, trying to push G away. She didn't want him to get hurt even more than he already was, but he quickly began tracing kisses down her neck and across her shoulder, that had come uncovered when her the shoulder of her sweater slipped down to her elbow. Nikki tried to quiet a moan that was threatening to come out, when G softly bit on the spot right behind her ear.

"G," she said, pushing him away from her slightly. He slowly stopped kissing her and opened his eyes to look at her. She smiled at him.

"We can't. You promised the doctor that if you got to come home tonight, you wouldn't do anything that could hurt you more than you already are," she said, kissing him again. G smiled against her lips. She was addictive. He could do this forever. He slowly stopped the kiss and grabbed Nikki's left hand, and brought it up to his lips. Nikki watched him with a small smile on her lips. He kissed each of her knuckles, one by one, and then kissed the tops of fingers.

"I'll always love you," G whispered against her finger tips. Nikki smiled at him, as her eyes filled with tears at his words. He looked shocked at her reaction, but Nikki quickly wrapped her arms around him.

"And I'll always love you," Nikki whispered back. G smiled again against her head, as he held her close to him. He was never going to let her go.

* * *

><p>Kensi turned the TV back on in time to see Patrick Dempsey's character quickly leave the castle in disappointment when he couldn't stop the wedding. She was about to snuggle back into the blanket that Nikki had given her earlier when once again the TV was turned off and Deeks sat down beside her. Deeks shoved a pregnancy test in front of her face. She looked at him and then back at the pregnancy test. She could see the small negative on it, but she just couldn't say that it wasn't hers. She didn't want to admit it out loud that she had been stupid enough to get pregnant when she wasn't openly dating someone.<p>

"Kens, you okay," Deeks asked, "you look like you're upset that you're not pregnant like Nikki." Kensi looked at Deeks with wide eyes. He actually thought that it was Nikki that was pregnant and not her. Was this her way out? Could she get Nikki to play along?

* * *

><p>G and Nikki walked out of the bathroom hand in hand. They still needed to talk, but the least they could do right now, was take a few coming breaths to clear their heads and then talk. Plus this was not the kind of talk one should have when they had company that could easily tell everyone that they ran into. Nikki wanted kids she knew that much, but she was so afraid that she would die on her kids. It had been one of her biggest fears since her father died. She never wanted that to happen. She wanted to be able to see her grandkids grow.<p>

She looked over at G, as he led her into the kitchen. Nikki was very aware of how he had grown up. Foster home to foster home. Both of them were orphans, one longer than the other, but still orphans. She didn't want her kids to have to deal with the death of a parent before they were able to. She wanted kids so badly, but what would happen if G didn't? Would she still be able to marry him if he didn't want kids? Could he still want to marry her if she did and he didn't?

Nikki took a seat at the table across from Sam, a frown evident on her face. She looked at G. She loved him. She loved him so much that she doubted that she would be able to go on if something happened to him. She watched as G grabbed three beers from the fridge. Her brow furrowed. Was he allowed to be drinking with the medication he was on? Did she even care right now? G silently handed her and Sam the beers, when Deeks and Kensi walked. Kensi had this shift eyed look about her that quickly caught Nikki's attention.

"Hey Nikki, do you think you should really be drinking in your condition," Deeks said, as he grabbed the beer from her hand, after she took a sip.

"What condition," asked G. He was completely confused. Nikki had told him that she was pregnant and then he looked over to Kensi. She was wringing her hands together. They worked together long enough for him to know that she would wring her hands when she nervous about something. Nikki looked at Deeks in complete confusion as well.

"She's pregnant. Congratulations Daddy," Deeks, said clapping G on the back. Nikki spit out the beer that she had in her mouth all over Sam who looked at her in disgust. Nikki looked at Kensi wide eyed. Kensi began to frantically shake her head. Nikki glared at her and then she slowly got up and silently walked past Kensi, grabbing her and pulling her from the kitchen and into the living room.

"What are you doing," she hissed. Lying about not being with Deeks was one thing that she could handle, but she knew full well, that Kensi was the one that was pregnant and this was getting to become too much.

"I was nervous. He saw the negative test and I…" Kensi trailed off when she saw the look on Nikki's face. She looked absolutely livid. She looked ready to kill. Kensi slowly began to back away from Nikki.

"So you thought lying to him would be better? Kensi…how are you going to explain you going into labor," Nikki hissed again. She took a deep breath. She needed to calm down or she was going to give herself a heart attack. Kensi looked down at her shoes.

"I don't know if Deeks wants kids or not, and plus we've only been together three months," Kensi explained. Nikki closed her eyes. That was a sensible argument. It made complete sense…except for the part where she, Nikki, had to fake a pregnancy.

"Two weeks," Nikki muttered loud enough for Kensi to hear. Kensi looked at her best friend confused.

"What?"

"You have two weeks to find out how he feels about kids and tell him everything. If two weeks comes and goes without you telling him. I will tell him myself. You're my best friend Kensi, but this is too much," Nikki said walking back into the kitchen. She glared at Deeks and walked over to G. She kissed him softly.

"I'm going to bed," she said and then grabbed a glass of water before exiting the kitchen once more. Kensi walked in not long after to see Deeks watching Nikki leaving the kitchen in confusion.

"Why does she hate me, now," he asked, as he sipped on the beer that he had taken from Nikki. The guys shrugged in response, while Kensi pretended that she didn't hear anything. She looked at the clock on the microwave and noticed that it was close to midnight. She yawned and walked over to Deeks, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Let's go home," she whispered. G and Sam weren't listening. Sam had decided to leave and G was walking him to the door.

* * *

><p>"So, Nikki's pregnant," Sam said as he pulled his shoes on. G looked at him and shook his head.<p>

"Nikki isn't the one that's pregnant. It's Kensi. Trust me I would know if my fiancée was pregnant," G said, as he leaned against the wall.

"G," Sam started.

"No, Nikki would tell me and she told me that both her and Kensi took tests, Nikki's came out negative, Kensi's was positive. Whatever Deeks was saying about Nikki being pregnant was bullshit. It's Kensi," G said. Sam looked at him doubtful, but shrugged anyways. He shook his head and bid G goodnight, as he walked out the door to his car. G turned around to see Deeks and Kensi walking towards the door.

"You heading home too," G asked. Kensi nodded.

"You just got out the hospital, we should give you time to rest," Kensi said, as she pulled on her coat and sneakers. G looked at her. He knew the real reason. Nikki was pissed at Kensi for everything that had just happened and Kensi did not want to face Nikki's wrath even more tomorrow.

"Plus we thought we'd let you and Nikki have that kids conversation," Deeks said. Kensi closed her eyes behind him and lighting smacked her head against her palm. He just didn't know when it was time to drop a subject. G forced a smile, as he shut the door behind them. He leaned against the door as soon as it was closed. When did his life turn into a soap opera?

* * *

><p>Nikki laid in bed looking at the ceiling, when she heard G walking up the stairs. They really needed to talk. She needed to know once and for all if G wanted kids. If he could see himself as someone's father? She continued to look at the ceiling as G slowly and silently walked into the room, thinking that she had fallen asleep.<p>

"I'm still awake," Nikki said, making G jump. She flipped the switch on her nightstand on the lamps turned on. He looked over at her.

"Can't sleep," he asked. Nikki shook her head, turning onto her side, so she could see him better.

"I've got too much on my mind," Nikki explained. G nodded, crawling into the bed beside her, wrapping her in his arms. Nikki laid her head against his chest and began to trace patterns on his arm with the tip of her index finger.

"Tell me," G offered. Nikki looked up at him.

"Do you want kids," Nikki asked quietly. G looked up at the ceiling, putting the hand he didn't have wrapped around Nikki under his head.

"I've thought about it," G answered. Nikki waited with baited breath. She knew that he wanted to say more, but she wasn't going to press the issue.

"I do want them Nikki. I like the idea of being someone's father, especially since I never knew my parents, but I don't…I didn't have many role models, Nik. I don't know how to be a parent," G explained. Nikki stopped tracing the pattern on G's arm and looked up at him.

"No one knows how to be a parent G. It's not something that you can take a class in. Every child is different. Every child has different needs, has different likes and dislikes. Everyone goes into parenthood blind; sure there are some things that you can expect. The kids growing up, graduating high school, and sure some don't because they drop out, or they get kicked out or they just don't get that far in life, but as long as you give them you're support, what they need and have a gentle, but firm hand, you can raise the child to be a good person. Parenthood isn't meant to be easy," Nikki said. G looked down at her and kissed her head.

"As long as you're their mother, I wouldn't have it any other way."

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><p><strong>AN: A sweet ending to a drama filled chapter. I've decided that Kensi and Deeks need a little love now, so the angst bunny is going to be moving on from Nikki and G and moving onto them. **

**I hope you enjoyed the chapter.**

**xo**


	33. Chapter 33: I Swear, If You Die On Me

**A/N: Hi Everyone, **

**Christmas is getting close, which means so is my icy demise, thanks to my father's bright idea….please note I use the term bright extremely light and sarcastically. I've hated this idea since he brought it up…I'm so sorry that this chapter has taken me so long to write. Work is hectic, I had to finish my Christmas shopping, I needed to work on my final assignment for my online course and NCIS LA hasn't had new episodes in about two weeks and my inspiration has been dwindling due to withdrawal.**

**ANYWAYS…**

**ENJOY!**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Thirty-Three: I Swear, If You Die On Me…<span>

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><p>It had been a week, since Kensi had decided to pretend that she wasn't pregnant and that Nikki was. Nikki was beyond angry and with Deeks constantly cracking jokes about shot gun weddings, she was getting ready to kill both him and Kensi. Kensi for the most part had found out that Deeks does want children, but now she was afraid on how he would take her lying to him. She had been gnashing her teeth about when to tell him. Nikki was barely speaking to her, and she didn't really blame her. G and Nikki were starting to plan their wedding, but had decided that they would have it after Kensi had the baby.<p>

"Okay, what colour do want the bridesmaid in," Nell asked, as she and Nikki began to browse for dresses on a bridal shop website that Nikki had come across the night before, and since she wasn't talking to Kensi at the moment, she needed someone elses opinions and since she had no sisters and her other friends were in Virginia, the responsibility went to Nell, to tell Nikki if she was out of her mind, if it just wasn't good enough or it was just right. While Nell flipped through the catalogue, Nikki would either mime gagging or would put a bright neon pink sticky note on it.

"What do you think of this one," Nell said pointing to a bright yellow floor length bridesmaid dress. Nikki looked up from the catalogue she was flipping through for her bridal dress and looked at the picture. She tried to picture Abby or Kensi in the bright yellow dress. She gagged and then continued to look through the catalogue in front of her. Nell didn't mind not being part of the wedding. She was glad though that Nikki thought so highly of her opinion. She flipped the page of the catalogue and on the page in front of her a mid thigh length dress in light blue with a white sash tied around the waist. Nikki looked up from her catalogue at the picture. She scrutinized the picture for ten seconds and then added a sticky to it.

"Really? Powder blue," Nell asked. Nikki shrugged.

"I always wanted my bridesmaids in blue. My mother had her bridesmaids in royal blue, but I don't want dark colours for my wedding, I'd prefer light colours," Nikki explained as her eyes began to fill with tears. Over the last week as everything slowly went back to normal, Nikki was able to sit down and let the news of the engagement really set in. She was getting married, her dad won't be walking her down the aisle, and her mom wasn't going to be sitting with a handkerchief in her hand, crying her heart out because her baby girl was getting married. Nell handed Nikki a Kleenex. Nikki smiled at her and took it gratefully.

"I hate being like this," Nikki said, as she wiped the tears from her eyes before they fell. Nell smiled.

"You're pregnant, you're allowed to be emotional," Nell said, as she handed Nikki another tissue. Nikki cringed when she Nell turned away from her. She hated this, she sort of hated Kensi and she definitely hated Deeks.

"How's my favourite preggo," said Deeks, as he walked in. If Nikki hadn't been angry before, she was definitely angry now, and was slowly reaching for the letter opener that Grams had left on the desk in OPS. Nell noticing what Nikki was doing, quickly turned around. Deeks' comments were getting on everyone's last nerve and if she didn't see Nikki stab Deeks in the jugular she could honestly say so. Nikki however decided it would be more satisfying if she tackled him and started to punching the shit out of him, but before she could, G walked in and handed her a case file. She smiled at him gratefully and kissed him on the cheek as he walked by her.

"Do you really think she should be working G," Deeks asked. Nikki glared at him one more time before turning to the door, where Kensi was now standing. Nikki threw her case file onto the desk beside her and walked over to Kensi, grabbing her by the collar of her shirt, not caring if she hurt or not and dragged her from the room. The rest of the room, minus G, wondered what the hell that was about, watching silently as they watched Kensi and Nikki's shadows argue about something. It did not look pretty from where they were standing.

* * *

><p>"Kensi, if you don't tell him soon. I might just kill him," Nikki snapped as she pulled Kensi to stand in front of her. Kensi started wringing her hands.<p>

"He wants kids, Nik," Kensi told Nikki's shoes. Nikki rolled her eyes.

"Okay, so he wants kids…if he wants kids…WHY THE HELL DOES HE STILL THINK THAT I'M THE ONE THAT'S PREGNANT," Nikki yelled. Kensi looked up at her shocked by the volume. She quickly looked in the direction that everyone else was. When she was sure that Deeks had not heard Nikki's question she turned back to see Nikki extremely livid and her eyes were almost bulging out of her head and her fists were clenching.

"Kensi," Nikki said.

"Yeah?"

"You're lucky I have a policy about not hitting pregnant woman," Nikki finished before walking back in the boardroom.

* * *

><p>Inside the boardroom, everyone was extremely silent trying to hear exactly what Nikki was yelling at Kensi about. It had been obvious over the past week that Nikki was extremely angry with Kensi and Deeks comments had definitely not been helping with her anger.<p>

"Those pregnancy hormones-"

"WHY THE HELL DOES HE STILL THINK THAT I'M THE ONE THAT'S PREGNANT," they heard Nikki scream and it was then that the secret was out. Deeks fell into the chair that was behind him and his jaw dropped in shock. G's eyes went wide. He knew that neither one of them wanted Deeks to find out like this, but Nikki had been bursting with anger and Deeks off hand comments only made her angrier and he knew that it was only going to be a matter of time before she blew her top.

It was almost all at once did everyone's heads turned to G and then to Deeks and back to G, then back again. This whole things was confusing. Not even a week ago did Deeks come bounding into OPS to let everyone that could hear that Nikki was pregnant, which had embarrassed both Nikki and G to no end. But now almost the entire OPS centre was to hear that it was not Nikki who was pregnant, but Kensi, when most of them had no idea that Kensi and Deeks were in fact together and had been secretly for three months prior to this moment. It was quiet as Deeks turned to look at G, who then nodded. He had known the entire time. Nikki had told him the following morning, but he had hoped that Kensi would solve this quietly without anyone finding out, but that hope became a shattered dream when Deeks had announced it to the entire office.

* * *

><p>The entire team stared at Nikki and Kensi, as they walked into the OPS centre. Nikki walked over to the desk and began flipping through the case file, while everyone continued to stare at both her and Kensi unabashedly. Kensi kept her head down, while she took walked to her death wary of the eyes that were now on her. Deeks wasn't even looking at her. His jaw was slack and his eyes were wide. Nikki looked at him out of the corner of her eye and smiled to herself. She guessed that Deeks must have heard her and he was now letting everything sink in.<p>

"You're…you're..." he stuttered looking at Kensi. Kensi looked at him, her eyes wide. He had heard Nikki's yell. He had heard her. He heard her.

"Yes Deeks," Kensi mumbled. Deeks eyes would have grown even wider, if that had been possible. Sam and G were trying to contain their laughter, when Nikki shot them an angry look. She knew that his was hard on Kensi and no matter how angry she was at her; she stood by her, because she would want Kensi to be there for her, if it had been her. Deeks continued to look at Kensi in shock and then finally everything seemed to hit him.

"You're pregnant," Deeks said. Kensi nodded.

"You're pregnant," Deeks repeated. Kensi looked at him confused, but nodded again anyways. Nikki was looking at Deeks with a worried expression.

"You're pregnant," Deeks said once again. Nikki looked at Deeks and just rolled her eyes. It was no surprise when Kensi had told him that it had been Nikki, but when it was his girlfriend, he was shocked. She could smack him, but this shock was enough payback…for now.

"You're-"

"Yes, Deeks I'm pregnant. We get it," Kensi snapped. Nikki's went wide, as she watched Kensi slowly walk out of OPS and into the bull pen. Deeks looked ready to faint and faint he did. Sam and G looked from the door the Kensi walked out from, to Nikki who was sitting there with wide eyes starring at Deeks who had landed in front of her and then to Deeks.

"Should we wake him up," G asked, walking over to Nikki, wrapping an arm around her waist. She looked up at him and smiled.

"Why would we do something like that? You and I both endured his jokes for about a week. I'd prefer to just leave him here," Nikki said, before kissing G on the cheek and getting out of her chair. She slowly stepped over Deeks, making sure to smack him in the face with her heel, before she walked out the door and over to her desk, who was crying at her desk.

"Why are you crying? He took it pretty well," Nikki joked, wrapping her arms around her best friend. Kensi continued to sob.

"All he could say was 'You're pregnant,' like I already didn't know," Kensi snapped back, before dissolving into more tears.

"Well at least he didn't crack jokes. I'm pretty sure I would have killed him if he did," Nikki joked again, trying to get Kensi to stop crying. She hated seeing her like this and new in the next 9 to 10 months, she would be seeing a lot of this, so she needed to find a way to make it better and fast, especially when Deeks is incapacitated like he was now.

* * *

><p>It took G and Sam fifteen minutes to wake Deeks up, and then it took them another ten minutes, before they could get him to say anything besides, 'Kensi's pregnant,' because they both knew that, that statement would not go over well with neither Kensi or Nikki. In fact it would have made them even angrier then they already were.<p>

"I'm going to be a dad," Deeks started muttering as they got him to stand up. G and Sam shared a look. Maybe it was finally setting in that it, he got his girlfriend pregnant, after being with her for only three months. They were about to walk him into the bull pen, so that he and Kensi could talk, when the rest of the team including Nikki and Kensi walked back into the control room and Hetty indicated to the screen. On the screen was the picture of a security guard at a local university that had been badly beaten.

"What could cause damage like that," Nikki asked as she stared at it with wide eyes. Kensi was holding her stomach and her hand was over her mouth. The end result of what happened to the security guard wasn't making the morning sickness anymore bearable than it already was.

"According to the coroner's report, they think this man, Mr. Algore Greeves, was beaten with a lead pipe," Hetty said. Nikki looked at her grandmother and then back at the picture. A shiver shot down her back causing her to shiver.

"What was he guarding for him to be beaten that badly," asked G, rubbing a hand down Nikki's back trying to calm her down.

"Something that could destroy all of Los Angeles. In a matter of seconds it can knock out electricity with a 400 Mile Radius, which could stop water purification. Food won't be able to be delivered on time to grocery stores, plumbing becomes backed-up," Eric said from behind them, as he pulled up a picture of what Greeves had been guarding and it was huge.

"Disease, hunger and dehydration, which cause mass amounts of panic," Kensi said, trying desperately not to look at the picture of the security guard.

"And when the panic sets in-" G started.

"So does chaos and riots," Nikki finished. Eric had the picture on the screen and the entire team looked at the weapon that could be used to destroy their city in a matter of seconds. It was huge.

"Someone just picked that up and drove off with it. There is no way, not without being seen," Sam said, as he finally pulled away from his cell phone. He had been desperately trying to get the exact toy that his daughter wanted, but everywhere he looked they were sold out. He was beginning to get extremely frustrated with the entire situation, but he didn't want to disappoint his little girl. He would never be able to live with that. Eric smiled and pulled up a video of two puny men, struggling to put the machine into a bright green truck.

"Really? Bright green? Could they not have a chosen a brighter colour," Nikki joked. G smiled at her. This was good, if they could find that truck, they could find that machine and save Los Angeles or the country…whatever seemed more prudent this week.

"Our only problem is that the truck belongs to a dead man," Eric said pulling up the driver's license of a student at the university where the machine had been stationed. The documented date of death, dated one year previously.

"What would a dead man want with this thing," Deeks asked, finally having the ability to speak again.

"Good question Mr. Deeks. Nikki, G, I would like the both of you to go to the school and question the leader on this project. Dr. Patrick Greene. Mr. Beale I would like you to give Ms. Blye a deep cover. Ms. Blye, you're going back to school. Mr. Deeks go with her as back-up. Mr. Hanna find that toy for your little girl" Hetty said, before she exited the centre, not giving any one room to argue. Deeks had opened his mouth, but Kensi glared at him. Nikki giggled from behind them, as her and G walked by. Kensi turned to glare at her, but Nikki was out the door, before she could say a word.

* * *

><p>Kensi knocked on the door of the Professor's classroom. She looked around, and then the door opened. In the doorway stood, a stalky boy, that could have been no taller then 5 feet. His hair was slightly curly. Kensi felt disgusted with the way that he looked at her. He was checking her out. She almost gagged, but quickly started to speak to cover it up.<p>

* * *

><p>In the court yard Nikki and G were walking side by side, unable to hold hands since they were working. Even though everyone at work knew that they were engaged, they wanted their suspects or the people they were questioning to take them seriously and that meant no hand holding. Nikki fiddled with her ring as the approached the professor. Out of the corner, G saw this and began smiling. He loved when she fiddled with her ring. It usually meant that she was thinking of him and at a time like this, with the holidays fast approaching, he was happy that she was thinking of him.<p>

"Excuse me, Professor Greene," Nikki called, as she spotted him.

"Yes," the professor said turning around. Nikki and G both flashed him their badges.

"We have some questions about the project you were working on, that was stolen last night," G said, as he put his badge back in his pocket. The professor nodded.

"Anything at all," Professor Greene answered. Nikki was about to open her mouth, when just in front of them the lab in which Kensi and Deeks were in exploded. Nikki and G ducked, protecting the professor the best they could, as the glass from the windows rained down on them. Nikki looked up as the flames engulfed the lab. Tears began to fill her eyes. For all she knew Kensi and Deeks were in there and she was left to bury some else that meant the world to her. G looked over at her and then back up at the lab. There was nothing they could do. The flames were getting worse and worse, and if either one of them were to walk in there, they wouldn't be able to walk back out.

G looked at the professor.

"That was your lab right?" The professor nodded.

"Who was in there," G asked, trying to keep Professor Greene from noticing the tears that were now streaming down her face.

"Just a few of my students," the professor said shocked as well. The kids that were in there were people he cared about and it didn't look anyone that had been in that room, was coming out alive.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I am so sorry this took so long. I haven't had a chance to write much since work got crazy and I need to make sure all of these are deleted off the hard drive, since I don't want my boss to know that I'm writing when I should be working. **

**Did you all enjoy the Christmas episode on Tuesday night? I'm trying to do my best and combine that episode and the Criminal Minds episode from last night.**

**Anyways…for the Christmas episode when they were talking about the plans and G and Sam didn't have a plan B, I could almost picture Nikki glaring at G and hugging him almost immediately after, because obviously neither Hetty or G would want her on the roof with him and Sam. And when the explosion happened, I could clearly picture Nikki fainting at OPS.**

**xo**


	34. Chapter 34: Callen

**A/N: My family will be venturing out in the cold in about three days, so wish me luck. I'm sorry it's been taking me so long to update, my writer's block as set in and I am at a loss of what to write. Even Criminal Minds and NCIS LA have me at loss of inspiration. I guess maybe it's the fact that my impending doom of freezing to death is coming nearer…or maybe it's the fact that my brother is driving me up the wall, with the Christmas Day only being in 5…4…3…2…1 more days. I officially hate my family. While I'm away though…check out the poll on my profile and let me know what you think the gender of Kensi and Deeks baby/babies should be.**

**Anyways...**

**Enjoy!**

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><p><span>Chapter Thirty-Four: Callen<span>

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><p>Nikki continued to look up at the lab, as the firefighters battled the large flames that were threatening to escape. There was no way that anyone that had been in that room was going to escape and get out of it alive. The flames had erupted seconds after the blast that had shattered the glass windows and caused the glass to rain upon the students and staff members below. G wrapped his arm around Nikki, trying to pull her away from the sight, but she just couldn't. She just kept watching as the flames threatened to burn the entire building down to the ground.<p>

"Nikki, there was no way-"

"Don't you dare say it G," Nikki interrupted him, "If you say it, it makes it all that more real and I don't think I'll be able to stand it, if I lost my best friend, after I've basically lost everything that means the world to me." G looked as if he had been punched in his stomach. Didn't he mean the world to her? Wasn't he the one that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with? Nikki felt the change in him and looked up at his face. She could see the effect that her words had on him.

"G, I didn't mean it like that," she tried to explain, but G looked away from her.

"G," she called to him.

"What," he answered.

"Kensi, means the world to me, but you, do you know what you mean to me," Nikki asked. G looked at her, waiting for the blow, but shrugged anyway.

"You…you mean the universe to me. If the world were to end tomorrow, I'd be able live through it, as long as you did. I wouldn't have been able to make it out of half the stuff I have over the past nine months, if you hadn't been there waiting for me, when I got out. When you asked me to marry you," Nikki paused, bringing the engagement ring that sat on her finger to his face, "I knew that you and I were meant to spend our lives together, and if Kensi-"

"What about me," came a voice, which Nikki had been sure she was never going to hear again. Nikki turned towards the voice to see her best friend, supporting Deeks. Nikki looked over at G and then back at Kensi, while she blinked continuously. She couldn't believe it; her pregnant best friend was alive and well…

"What the fuck," Nikki snapped. She launched herself at Kensi, who immediately dropped Deeks, to catch her. Deeks dropped to the ground, and looked at the pair of best friends who had seen each other and were fighting not even twenty minutes ago and now were hugging like they hadn't seen in each other in a century. G held his hand out for Deeks to take, to help him up.

"What the hell happened," G said, as he put Deeks arm around his neck, so that he could keep him up.

"Kensi, went in and the nerd brigade liked her," Deeks explained.

"You always did attract nerds, maybe that's why Deeks got you pregnant so quick. He's the king of them," Nikki joked, causing Kensi to burst out with laughter. Deeks glared at Nikki, who was doing nothing to try and stifle her laughter.

"Well anyways…she went in and they were working on something, while I went to check in on the lockers, to see if we could find this thing. No, I didn't find it, but I did end up finding a bomb in one of the lockers. It was set to go off in the next 30 seconds or so, so I signaled Kensi to get everyone out…which we did by the way, they're all sitting near the back wall over there," Deeks paused pointing to a wall that was sitting across the quad, "but I got injured, cause just before the blast I tripped over a piece of equipment one of the nerds dropped."

"Oh stop complaining," Nikki said. Deeks glared at her back, while she and Nikki walked with the professor over to the group of students that were sitting by the wall.

"Control her, G," Deeks said, as G helped him over to the wall. G gave him a look and then unceremoniously dropped Deeks' arm, letting him fall to the ground.

"What was that for," Deeks yelled.

"That, Deeks was payback for the shotgun wedding comments you made earlier this week and last," G said, before he offered his hand for Deeks to take again. Deeks looked at the hand suspiciously before he took it again. G helped him the rest of the way to the wall, where Nikki and Kensi had now started questioning the students that had been in the lab, leading up to the explosion. So far they were sure that not one of them had planted that bomb in their lockers and they were very sure that even though these students were very smart, they had the strength of a six year old girl and would not have been able to beat a security guard to death with a lead pipe.

"One of them is missing," said the professor, as he finished his head count of the students. Nikki quickly turned to the professor and then back to the students that were sitting against the wall.

"One of them is missing," she asked, hoping that she may of heard wrong. The professor nodded, confirming that was in fact what he had said.

"Christian Nettleton," the professor said, before he turned to one of the students that was sitting in front of him, "Where's Chris, Wyatt?"

"He went to get us lunch about five minutes before these agents showed up," the student, Wyatt explained. Kensi wrote down the name and then turned to the professor.

"Do you know where Christian Nettleton lives," she asked, looking at the professor. The professor quickly pulled out his cell phone and began to look through his contact list, trying to find Nettleton's number. He then began to riddle of the address to Kensi, who quickly wrote it down, and turned to Nikki.

"Okay, who's going where," she asked. Nikki grabbed the address out of her hand and read it quietly.

"You and I can go and check out the address, and then they can go and Deeks' head…whoops I mean ankle checked out," Nikki said, as she walked away linking her arm with Kensi's as she went. Deeks glared at her as she walked away. He really wasn't amused by some of the comments she made. G just smiled and shook his head, as his fiancée turned and blew him a kiss before turning to laugh at something that Kensi said, while they walked towards the car.

* * *

><p>"So what do you think about powder blue brides maid dresses," Nikki asked, as they drove off to Christian Nettleton's address. Kensi looked through the mirror on the passenger hand side.<p>

"Who are you asking to be your brides maids," Kensi asked, she needed to picture the women that were going to be wearing these dresses, otherwise she wouldn't honestly be able to tell Nikki, if she thought it would be a good idea or not.

"Well I was think JJ, Abby and well of course you as my maid of honor," Nikki replied, as she stopped at a red light. Kensi thought about it for a couple of moments.

"Abby, in a powder blue dress," Kensi asked, having the image of the Goth in such a colour. Nikki thought about it for a moment and laughed. She knew that Abby would be looking at her, as if she was crazy, but it was her day and she had the right to dress her bridesmaids in what she wanted. Kensi started to laugh suddenly. Nikki looked over to her, as she began to drive when the light turned green.

"Did you just off handedly ask me to be your maid of honor," Kensi giggled. Nikki thought about what she had said, and then she too began to laugh.

"So will you," Nikki asked. Kensi looked hesitant for a moment. By the time she and G got around to having the ceremony, she'd either be ready to give birth or unable to stand there with Nikki, because she would have to take care of the little one.

"G and I already decided that since you were pregnant, we would wait a year or so, so that you could stand up there with me and since it'll be a year from now, maybe we could have Deeks walk down the aisle with the little one and he could either carry the rings or throw flower petals, depending on the gender of the little monster," Nikki joked as she rubbed Kensi's still flat stomach.

"I'd want a girl, just to see that honestly," Kensi replied. Nikki continued laughing, with Kensi joining him, both laughing at the picture of Deeks, walking down the aisle carrying his daughter and throwing flower petals for Nikki to walk on, when she walked down the aisle. It took them some time to calm down, since they were laughing so hard.

"Have you gone for an ultrasound yet," Nikki asked, once they had calmed down enough to speak. Kensi shook her head.

"I was waiting until after I told Deeks, so that he could go with me," Kensi explained. Nikki nodded. She pulled in a small driveway. Both women looked at the house. It looks as if no one was home, which usually was a good sign for them. They could look around without getting caught. Nikki got out of the car, quickly followed by Kensi and they slowly walked up to the door. Nikki took a quick look around, making sure that no one was watching them, before she bent down and proceeded to pick the lock on the door. Slowly, but surely the door opened, and the girls walked in.

* * *

><p>G helped Deeks into the OPS centre. Deeks had decided that he did not want to go to the hospital, having spent too much time there, after G and Nikki had been in the car accident. He had instead opted for one of the doctors that they had on sight to see what was wrong with his ankle. G shook his head, as he dropped Deeks on the couch in the bull pen and went to go find one of the nurses. As G turned he bumped into Sam.<p>

"What happened, on the news they said there was a fire in the lab, that the four of you were visiting," Sam asked, as he followed G to wear the nurses' office was.

"Someone planted a bomb in one of the kids lockers. Everyone got out okay, except Deeks, who tripped on something, as they were escaping," G explained, as he motioned for one of the nurses to follow him. Sam shook his head.

"Did you find that toy," G asked, as they watched Deeks get his ankle checked out. Sam nodded.

"Eric's keeping on it for me," Sam explained, "We're like 40 minutes way from the auction closing and if I can get this, I'll be a hero…literally." G smirked at him.

"Oh just wait, until you have kids G. Your little girl will be staring up at you with Nikki's big eyes and she'll be doing the same puppy dog pout that my daughter does when she wants something and you'll do anything you can to get it for her," Sam said, slapping G on the back, "By the way, are you and Nikki joining me and Shiela for Christmas?"

G shrugged, "I have no idea. I know Nikki and Hetty do Christmas Eve together, Nikki told me that much, but I don't know what Nikki and I are doing Christmas Day. We haven't really spoken about it." Sam nodded.

"Well, the offer still stands," he answered. G nodded and smiled at his partner. Deeks was squirming on the couch, while the nurse prodded at his ankle.

"Mild sprain," was all she said, as she wrapped a tenser bandage around his ankle and then walked away. It was then that they heard the sound of heels clicking down the hall. G, Sam and Deeks turned to see a disgruntled Nikki and Kensi walking towards them, eating frozen yogurt.

"Honestly, nerds," Nikki said shaking her head, before she took a seat at her desk, putting her feet up on it. G and Sam shared a look, while Kensi walked over to Deeks, and took a look at the bandage that the nurse had wrapped around it. G walked over to Nikki and lifted her out of her seat, taking a seat instead and sat her on his lap.

"What happened," he asked, as Nikki fed him some of her frozen yogurt.

"This kid had one heck of a security system," Nikki said vaguely.

"You got caught," Deeks said, looking at Kensi, who had lift his foot, from the love seat, and sat it on her lap, as she took it's place beside Deeks.

"No, we're not like Tony and Timmy," Nikki said, laughing to herself about the time that Tony and Tim got themselves arrested at the DMV.

"Huh," Deeks asked, completely confused about Nikki's comment.

"Never mind," Nikki said, "anyways it wasn't actually a conventional security system that would call the LAPD if there was a break in at your house. Instead it was this sort of volt thing that shot static electricity across the room and had me and Kensi hiding behind arm chairs and in search of way to short the stupid thing out." She fed G a little more of her frozen yogurt, taking a strawberry out for herself.

"Volt thing," Kensi giggled, "really Nikki?"

"Sorry, I'm not an encyclopedia, like you are, oh Queen of the Nerd Brigade," Nikki joked back, causing both girls to falls into fits of laughter. Sam chuckled softly at the nickname. G and Deeks looked at one another, obviously thinking of what Deeks' friend had kept calling Kensi, when they were helping him. It was then that Hetty walked into the bull pen.

"Do we not have a case," Hetty asked, having the entire team turn to look at her and quickly get back to work. Nikki quickly threw out what was left of her frozen yogurt and ran into the control centre, thinking of something. There was no way that these kids would be able to do everything on there own. They needed to look into the professor and fast before this invention of his was used and the state of California destroyed. Plus, she needed Eric's help finding someone.

* * *

><p>"What's up Nikki," Eric asked, seeing the way that she had quickly run into the control centre. Nell quickly left, knowing what Nikki wanted to ask Eric and she went to keep watch.<p>

"First, pertaining to the case, I need you to look into Professor Patrick Greene, there is no way the students he teaches could have beaten that security guard with a lead pipe by themselves, let alone get way with his invention. All of this just seems way too fishy…and look into the students as well, maybe one of them has some serious debts or something," Nikki said, handing him a list of the students that had been in the lab, before it exploded. Eric took the list and then sat down at the computer and quickly began to look through their records, all the while keeping an eye on the auction that would be ending in only minutes.

"Anything else," he asked, when he noticed that Nikki was still standing there.

"I need you to keep this a secret, okay Eric, I need you to look up this name for me, and see if you can get a recent address and phone number," Nikki said, writing down the name on the piece of paper, folding it and then handing it to him, "You can't let anyone, especially G. I don't him to get too excited, especially if you can't find anything." Eric looked at her suspiciously, but took the folded piece of paper that she was handing to him.

"I'm serious Eric, no one can know about this," Nikki said, before she quickly left the control centre. Eric watched her leave and then he opened the piece of paper. On it was one name.

_Alexander Callen._

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><p><strong>AN: I hoped you all enjoyed this chapter. I most likely won't be able to update anytime between now and Friday, which is when we're leaving to go up North…I still hate this idea. I'm most likely going to freeze to death and you'll all be wondering who Alexander Callen is. Check out the poll on my profile and let me know your thoughts.**

**Happy Holidays and A Happy New Year.**

**xo**


	35. Chapter 35: Merry Christmas G

**A/N: I started working on this chapter before we left and I wasn`t able to finish and post it until now. As you can see I did not freeze to death and we had an excellent Christmas, thought I doubt my family will be doing this again. It was just too chaotic for our liking and we'll be going back to our regular Christmas routine next year. As for my gifts I got the second season of Glee and NCIS: LA (from my sister and her husband), while my brother's decided to chip in and be cheap at the same time and got me a two dollar pair of leg warmers. My parents ended up getting me an Ipod Touch, a docking station and two pair of pyjamas.**

**Enough about my Christmas…I hope each and every one of you had an amazing Christmas/Hannukah/Kwanzaa here's to wishing you all a Happy New Year as well!**

**ENJOY!**

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><p><span>Chapter Thirty-Five: Merry Christmas, G<span>

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><p>"G was suppose to work on a plan B," Sam said, as they began to pack for their mission to get the flux compression generator back. Over the oast couple of days, they had found out that Christian Nettleton, had a large amount of student debts, that he would have to work his entire life to settle them, and because of the falling economy, there were not many jobs that he could use his degree with. He was desperate for money and that was the reason why he had hired a few men, that his father had known before his death in 2004. According to Professor Greene, Nettleton had no idea on how to actually the generator and was going to destroy the city of Los Angeles and the state of California, trying to shut down a banks' security system. Their problem was that there were so many banks in downtown Los Angeles, that they were completely unsure of which one they would hit.<p>

"What do you mean, he was _supposed_ to work on a plan B," Nikki said, as she too packed a bag. Her and Deeks were going to be working together, since the team in good conscience could not send Kensi out into the field while she was pregnant. G looked slightly sheepish, as he packed some of the tools that he and Sam would need. Eric had worked out that the generator would have to be on a high roof top, which had helped them narrows it down to at least five banks.

"We both worked on a plan A," G explained. Nikki blinked, and then decided to smack G upside the head, and as he flinched and rubbed the back of his head, she kissed him soundly on the lips. He was slightly surprised by her action, but quickly responded to this kiss, wrapping one arm around her waist, while the other tangled itself into her hair.

Kensi was sitting in the OPS control centre, while the rest of the team was getting ready for their mission. She was glad that Deeks and Nikki would be trying to stop Chris Nettleton from actually robbing the bank instead of being on the roof with G and Sam trying to disable the generator.

"Be careful, Mr. Hanna and Mr. Callen, in the event that you find yourselves on the woof when the generator goes off, there will be no air assistance," Hetty said, as they left. Eric shared a look with Nikki. He had found what she asked him about three days ago and she smiled at him. She had gotten G, a Christmas present just in case Eric couldn't come through for her, but this made it even better now. Nikki bent down and gave her grandmother a hug, before g helped her into the SUV and they were off. Eric hurried upstairs and into the control centre, where he was going to search the rooftops of the banks that were high enough that it would give this thing enough clearance.

* * *

><p>Sam parked close to one of the banks that they had marked down as a possible target. All four of them were watching the different street corners, hoping to maybe spot the people behind this scheme.<p>

"So, Nikki, will you and G be joining Sheila and I Christmas Day," asked Sam.

"Maybe, depends on how things go," Nikki responded. She could see the look that G was giving her out of the corner of her eye, trying to figure out what she meant by that, so she decided to change the subject the best she could.

"Did you ever find that Parker Pony for your daughter?"

"Eric found it up for auction online, but this other buyer grabbed it right out of our hands at the last second," Sam explained. He was now looking at the rooftops, seeing if he could spot anything out of the ordinary.

"That's why I'm telling Ava, that her Uncle G and Aunt Nikki, let her down," Sam explained. All three of them turned to look at him to see if he was joking, but there was no hint of laughter on his face. Nikki and G's jaw dropped.

"You wouldn't," G asked, turning to look at his partner.

"You shouldn't," Nikki continued, "That is unbearable torture. I should know. I had used it on my father enough times." The guys' brows furrowed and looked at her. She turned to look out the window at the bank across the street from them.

"When I was ten, there was this new teddy bear out. I can't even remember what was so special about it, all I can remember is that I wanted it really bad. My birthday was coming up and because my birthday is only twenty-eight days before Christmas, my parents decided that I would get one present and then that way I could get spoiled at Christmas. That year, I told my exactly what I wanted. I can remember him searching for it night and day, but he was never able to find it before my birthday. I didn't speak to him until Christmas, when he finally found it," Nikki explained, a single tear running down her cheek. G grabbed her hand and rubbed her knuckles. This was his only way of offering her comfort at the time.

"_Guys, it's on top of the building, across the street from you_," came Eric's voice. The team jolted into action. Sam and G to the stairs, while Nikki and Deeks followed slightly slower, hoping that they would be able to stop Nettleton, before he actually got away.

"Where are the safes usually in a place like this," Deeks asked quietly. Nikki took a quick look around and then she saw someone dressed in all black sprinting around the corner out of the corner of her eye. She motioned for Deeks to follow her, and they went chasing after the suspect. He was leading them higher and higher into the building.

"G, are you on the roof," Nikki asked, while she chased after, who she guessed was Nettleton.

"_Yeah, we're trying to disable the thing_," G answered.

"Okay, we're in pursuit of someone, and they're headed towards you," Nikki explained. Deeks was in pursuit of the suspect, when the suspect took a quick turn and was suddenly running down the escalator. Nikki ignored the next thing that G said, and slid down the middle of the two escalators, trying to cut in front of him. She landed just in time to stick her leg out and trip the guy, who stumbled, allowing Deeks to rugby tackle him into the Christmas display, that the bank had in their front foyer. Nikki got up slowly and walked over to Deeks who was standing in front of the suspect, panting.

"That take a lot out of you, Daddy to be," Nikki joked, smacking Deeks on the shoulder. He glared at her, while he reached down and pulled the mask off the man that was lying under the tree. It was Christian Nettleton. Nikki smiled at Deeks and then tried calling G.

"We got him," she said.

"Okay, all we have to do now, is disable this thing," G answered. Nikki blinked and looked over to Deeks, who was now cuffing Nettleton.

"Ow…ow…the handcuffs are too tight," Nettleton complained. Nikki shook her head.

"Yeah, well they're new, so they might stretch out, once you wear them awhile," Deeks said, looking at Nikki, waiting for information on what was happening up on the roof.

"They still haven't disabled it," Nikki explained, before going back to her conversation with G," Do you want Deeks and I to come and help?"

"_No_," G yelled in her ear, "_You're safer down there_." Nikki heard some motion on G's end and she knew that he had taken his ear piece out. She looked at Deeks and motioned for them to walk out of the front doors, but carefully. They had no idea how they were dismantling the flux compression generator, but it was obvious that it was taking longer than they had.

* * *

><p>"<em>Okay, Callen, you need to pull it farther apart. The beam can still jump the gap<em>," Eric explained to them, as they stopped pushing the parts apart from one another. Callen and Sam shared a look and then tried to continue pushing the parts farther away from each other. But it was too heavy for just the two of them. G wasn't going to risk calling Deeks and Nikki up onto the roof to help them push the pieces. It was too dangerous and he didn't want Nikki getting hurt if something happened, before the could push the pieces farther from each other, even though he would do his best to protect her.

"Okay, I'm doing plan B," Sam digging into his bag. G looked at him confused.

"When did we come up with a plan B?"

"Just now," Sam said, as he pulled the liquid nitrogen from his bag. G looked at him and then watched Sam, as he poured the chemical onto the generator. Sparks began to fly causing them to grab the grappling hooks from their bags, throwing the bags onto their shoulders and jumping off the side of the roof. The flux compression generator exploded in a ball of fire.

* * *

><p>Below the ground began to shake, and Nikki looked up to the sky to see the explosion. Her jaw dropped and she began to desperately reach for the cell phone that she kept in her pocket at all times. Tears began to blur her vision, as they threatened to fall. All she could hear was her heart hammering in her chest. She had no idea if G or Sam were alive and she had the sudden feeling of being seventeen again and being told in her Criminology class that a plane had hit the North World Trade Centre. She needed to know and she needed to know now.<p>

The phone began to ring and she took a deep breath. Her heart slowly stopped hammering and then sh heard the ring echo. Her brow furrowed and she looked around.

"_It's a quarter after one, I'm little drunk and I need you now. Said I wouldn't come, but I've lost_..."

She knew that ring tone. She was the one that picked the ring tone, when they first started dating. She wanted G to know it was her, every time she called. Deeks heard the ringing too and began looking around. It was then that he spotted two people hanging by grappling hook, from the side of the building. He tapped Nikki on the shoulder and pointed to where the ringing was coming from.

It was then that she began to tap her foot.

* * *

><p>G looked at the caller ID on his phone and looked at Sam. He slowly began to hand it over to Sam, who began to look at him like he was crazy<p>

"She's calling you, you answer it," Sam answered. G looked at him and then at the phone.

"Hello," he said, as casually as he could.

* * *

><p>"Need a parachute, G," Nikki asked, before hanging her phone up quickly. She giggled silently. The only evidence that she was laughing were her shaking shoulders and to Deeks, who was standing behind her, it looked as if she was crying.<p>

"What's wrong, Nik," Deeks asked, adopting the nickname that G had started calling her weeks after their first meeting. She turned and looked at him and then back at G and Sam.

"Do you think we should call for help and get them down or should we just leave them there? I personally think that we should just leave them," Nikki asked resting her arm on Deeks' shoulder. He looked up at where Sam and G were dangling and then to Nikki. He contemplated it for a moment and as much as he would love to just them hanging there, he could see that Nikki was indeed joking with him and if he said that they should leave them there it would have him on her bad side quicker than if he were to put his feet on her late mother's coffee table.

"It's not rocket science, Deeks…should we leave them up there or call for help tp get them down," Nikki asked, as she waved her hand in front of Deeks' face. It was times like this that she wondered how Deeks had gotten Kensi pregnant, when he couldn't answer a question as easy as the one she was asking. Still Deeks didn't answer her, so she waved a hand at Deeks and walked up to the building and leaned against it dialling her grandmother's number at OPS. She had no doubt that Grams, Kensi, Nate, Nell and Eric had seen everything, but they probably couldn't reach the two of them because her fiancée and his best friend were too afraid to answer her call.

* * *

><p>Eric, Nell, Nate and Kensi watched as Hetty paced in front of the big screen, desperately trying to get a hold of G and Sam. They had watched the explosion via satellite and ever since the flux compression generator exploded in a ball of fire and smoke, they weren't able to see anything, because the smoke that had clouded over the roof of the building.<p>

Hetty heard the phone begin to ring, as she paced. Eric quickly hit the answer key.

"Mr. Callen," Hetty asked.

"_Wow Grams, I'm your only grandchild and you ask for your employee before me_, _thanks_," Nikki answered. Hetty let go of the breath she had unknowingly been holding.

"Sorry dear, how are you," Hetty asked.

"_Good and so are Deeks, Sam and G, besides the fact that G and Sam are dangling from the building by grappling hook, but they're good_," Nikki answer offhandedly. The room looked at one another in confusion at her statement, but then Hetty remembered that G and Sam had packed grappling hooks into the bags.

"Will they need assistance getting down," Hetty asked.

"_They didn't bring enough rope, so yeah_," Nikki answered.

* * *

><p>Hetty knocked the spout into the keg, while G, Nikki, Sam and Eric watched.<p>

"This is Yeichstan's finest ale, flown in from Yorkshire England and then brewed as it was in Charles Dickens time," Hetty explained tapping the side of the barrel.

"Nettleton got handed over to the LAPD," Deeks said, as he walked in with his arm wrapped around Kensi, stopping beside G and Nikki. Hetty looked at them all. She was glad to them all standing there, enjoying the holiday instead of working on the stolen flux compression generator case. She slowly began to pour the team, minus Kensi drinks.

"Can't drink on an empty stomach," said Nell, as she held out a plate of cookies for them all to help themselves too, "6 hours and glocks." Nikki smiled and laughed. She recognized the recipe. It had been the first recipe that her grandmother had taught her and her mother when they were younger.

"Wait, did you bake these in the microwave," Kensi asked, a tone of surprise in her voice, as she leaned against Deeks, who was already shoving a cookie in his mouth.

"I actually reconfigured the burn room incinerator as a convection oven, so," Nell explained, as Kensi went to put the cookie in her mouth.

"Smart girl," said Nikki, as she looked above her and G to where Nate was holding some mistle toe. She giggled and smiled as G and her leant into one another to share a gentle kiss. Eric walked away silently.

"Uh, Sam," he called. Sam turned around, brushing the crumbs from his hands as he did.

"I got a little something for ya," Eric said. He pulled the box that was behind his back to in front of him. Inside the box was the Parker Pony that Ava wanted. Sam smiled and walked over to Eric, leaving Deeks and Kensi to watch as Nikki and G continued to kiss, even though Nate had already taken the mistle toe down from above them.

"How'd you find it," he asked, taking it from Eric's hands.

"Don't ask."

"You saved my life," Sam said. He grabbed Eric by the neck and give him a quick hug. Eric's smiled got bigger. By this time Nikki and G had stopped kissing. Nikki reached into her pocket and took out the number that Eric had handed to her earlier.

"I've got something for you too, G," she said. G looked down at her. They had agreed they weren't going to exchange gifts until Christmas Morning.

"I thought that you might want to make this call now, rather than two days from now," Nikki explained. She handed him the piece of paper. On the piece of paper the name, Alexander Callen in Nikki's handwriting and below it was a number and a Los Angeles adress in Eric's familiar scrawl.

"Nikki, what-" G said looking at completely confused.

"Christmas is a time of family. So I used my friends at the FBI to look into your family history and I got your father's name, who according to FBI records is very much alive. I then asked Eric to try and find a recent number and address. You've given me everything I've ever wanted and more, and I wanted to find you someone you could call family-" G cut Nikki off, giving her a passionate kiss.

"Thank you," he whispered, hugging her to him.

"Merry Christmas G."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: All finished and I know it's two days late, but I only just got back home about three hours ago and I needed to finish this before I could update it. Please check out the poll on my profile. What gender should Deeks and Kensi's baby/babies be?**

**xo**


	36. Chapter 36: I Should Have Seen it Coming

**A/N: Don't Shoot! I know it's been awhile since I last updated and I've been working on other things, but the inspiration to write Broken on the Inside, sort of left me for awhile…but no fear I am back, and things will hopefully only get better from here…**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 36: I Should Have Seen It Coming<span>

* * *

><p>Nikki sat in the waiting room with Sheila and Nell, while they waited for news on Kensi. It had been almost two hours since their arrival and a doctor had yet to inform them on Kensi's condition. The wait was killing Nikki. Kensi was her best friend, and the worry alone was making Nikki lose her mind.<p>

She had tried to contact Deeks and G, but they were both undercover with Sam unbeknownst to Sheila who thought they were having a guys' weekend, in some remote area without cell service.

* * *

><p><em>48 Hours Before the Accident…<em>

* * *

><p>Nikki was bustling around her kitchen, cleaning up the mess she had made, while the cookies were in the oven. She was completely alone in the house G and her now shared, G having left with Deeks and Sam to do some top secret undercover mission, that she didn't know the specifics of.<p>

To keep her mind off of the worry, Nikki invited, a five month pregnant, Kensi, Nell and Sam's wife Sheila, whom she had gotten to know since Christmas. She invited Sheila under the pretense of a girl's weekend, since she was unaware that they were secret agents.

"Finally," Nikki muttered, sittinf down at the kitchen table, watching silently as the timer on the oven counted down to when her mother's chocolate chip cookies would be ready..

Nikki, herself, wasn't much a baker, much like her father, preferring to cook, rather than bake. Her mother, Cassie, however, preferred to bake, rather than run to the bakery, a skill that she had learned under Nikki's great-grandmother, during her stays with her, while Hetty and Desmond saved the world.

While Nikki never got to meet her great-grandmother, Bridgette Lange, having died two days after Cassie found out she was pregnant with Nicole, Nikki did learn all of her recipes, even though at the time it was against her own will. Nikki chuckled at the memory.

* * *

><p><em>Present…<em>

* * *

><p>With her head in her hands, Nikki thought about the events that led up to Kensi being in the hospital fighting for Baby Blye-Deeks life and possibly even her own. Nell had her hand on Nikki's shoulder, while Sheila paced in front of the pair, still trying to get a hold of any of the guys.<p>

Neither Nell or Nikki told her that it would be useless to try and get a hold of any of them, due to how deep their covers were. They had told Hetty and Eric what had happened and hopefully, they would be able to pass on the message to Deeks, who would then pass the message onto G and Sam and then, hopefully, Granger, would then let them leave and be here for Kensi and the baby.

Nikki scoffed at the idea of Granger letting the boys out of their undercover operation. She couldn't stand Granger and the feeling was very much mutual on his part. That had been one of the two reasons, she had been exempted from the operation. The other? Her relationship status with G.

It was then that the waiting room doors burst open, causing the three women to turn towards them, looks of worry across each of their faces.

* * *

><p><em>42 Hours Before the Accident…<em>

* * *

><p>"What do you think the guys are doing right now," Nell asked, as she placed her glass of red wine on the table. Sheila chuckled.<p>

"Sam is probably putting his boy scout skill to good use," she commented, before taking a bite out of her egg roll.

"And G and Deeks are probably driving him crazy, because they all have their own way of doing things," Kensi thought, as she relaxed into the arm chair she was currently occupying.

"Each of them thinking it's the right way," Nikki added, as she walked back into the living room carrying a tray of chocolate covered strawberries, that she had made earlier that day. Sheila laughed as she re-filled her wine glass.

"I can't remember the last time I did this," she said, before she took a sip from her newly filled glass, "Kensi get the time while you can, because when that little one comes, you won't be able too."

"Even if I could, I would be afraid too," Kensi confessed, sipping at the virgin Shirley Temple Nikki made her.

"Kens, I think anyone would be afraid to leave Deeks alone with their kid, let alone his own," Nikki commented, "You'd need a completely different babysitter just for Deeks." The girls laughter filled the house, as they thought about it.

* * *

><p><em>Present…<em>

* * *

><p>"Where is she," Deeks snapped as he barged into the waiting room. Nikki quickly stood to calm him.<p>

"She's in surgery, Deeks, but that's all we know right now, because no one has come to tell us anything," Nikki said as she led him over to a chair.

"How long have you been here," Deeks asked as he took the seat beside Nikki.

"About two hours now," she whispered, but it was loud enough for him to hear. Deeks looked absolutely furious, that they had been here for two hours and had heard nothing about the condition of the mother of his child.

* * *

><p><em>36 Hours Before the Accident…<em>

* * *

><p>Kensi lay wide awake on the sofa bed that she was sharing with Nikki. The bed was completely uncomfortable and every way she positioned her body, it didn't help at all. She was beginning to regret not taking the guest bedroom that Nikki had offered to her, knowing full well that the sofa bed was the way it was.<p>

She rolled over to look at Nikki, whom was fast asleep cuddling the stuffed Koala that G had given her, despite being on a very uncomfortable bed. Kensi huffed in annoyance, and then rolled over once more, this time to look at Nell.

Nell had fallen asleep while they had been watching Titanic starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, on the love seat diagonally from the couch. Even curled into a ball on the small love seat, Nell, looked even more comfortable on than Kensi was at that moment.

Kensi quickly sat up and ran a hand through her tussled hair. She looked over at Sheila who was fast asleep and softly snoring in the recliner that she had fallen asleep in not long after the three of them watched as Titanic slipped beneath the ocean's surface. Nikki and Kensi were the only ones that were able to stay awake long enough to have tears in their eyes as they watched Rose be greeted by all the people that had died aboard the Titanic, with Jack waiting for her.

Kensi groaned softly and then lay back against her pillows, willing for sleep to overcome her senses. Nikki cracked one eyes open at the sound of Kensi groaning.

"Are you sure, you don't want the guest room," Nikki whispered to Kensi, not bothering to roll over and face her.

"You're awake?"

"I wasn't, but now I am," Nikki stated, "Now, I'll ask you again…Are you sure, you don't want the guest room?"

"Nikki…"

"Kensi, I can't sleep if you keep tossing and turning, because the bed keeps moving. Now do you want the guest room or not," Nikki snapped quietly, careful not to wake Sheila and/or Nell. Kensi looked at her best friend and nodded. Nikki kicked off her blankets and slowly began to walked down the hall towards the guest room, Kensi following behind her.

* * *

><p><em>Present…<em>

* * *

><p>"So you're telling me, that you've been sitting here for two hours with no word on how Kensi or my baby is doing, " Deeks yelled at Nikki. G, who was sitting beside her, went to say something, but Nikki stopped him. She knew that Deeks didn't meant to yell at her, her was just having some trouble processing everything that had happened.<p>

"Deeks you need to calm down-"

"No, Nikki. I'm not going to calm down. It's my girlfriend and unborn child in that operating room and I have no idea if they're okay-"

"Deeks," Nikki interrupted him, causing Deeks to look at her, "I know what you're going through-"

"No-"

"Yes I do," Nikki continued, "It's my best friend and future godson or goddaughter in there. I've been crawling up the walls as much as you have, but you need to stay calm, okay No news is good news. If anything bad were to happen, a doctor would have come to get us." As Nikki finished, she wrapped her arm around Deeks' shoulders.

* * *

><p><em>30 Hours Before the Accident…<em>

* * *

><p>After moving to the guest room for the rest of the night, Kensi, was finally able to get comfortable and she eventually fell asleep.<p>

Four hours later, the hot Los Angeles sun began to creep in through the living room curtains, making Nikki, Nell and Sheila groan at the intrusion. Nikki grabbed her pillow and rolled over to escape the excruciating bright light, only to roll off the edge of the sofa bed and land on the floor with a loud bang.

"You okay, Nikki," Sheila asked, peering at her over the arm of the recliner. Nikki groaned and slowly sat herself on her knees.

"Yeah," she answered, "But I am never doing tequila shots again. Not even at my bachelorette party."

"We didn't do tequila shots, Nikki," Nell said, as she covered her eyes.

"We didn't," Nikki asked, "Hmmm…cause I feel like we did."

"I think that's the red wine and mass amount of junk food you had last night," Sheila said, slowly sitting her way up. Nell nodded in agreement.

"Shit," Nikki swore, "I drank red wine last night. No wonder I feel like I was hit by a truck. The only time this happens is when I drink tequila or red wine."

"Don't let Deeks hear you say that," Kensi said, as she walked into the living room and sat herself in the armchair, she had occupied during dinner the night before, "He just might spike your drink."

"I'd laugh, but my head hurts," Nell said, as she lay her head against the arm rest of the love seat.

"I swear if anyone," Nikki paused, "And I do mean anyone pukes on any of my furniture, they will be paying for it to be re-upholstered. It took me forever to get the stain out when Kensi tossed her cookies all over the armchair."

"That was not my fault," Kensi argued, "Deeks made eggs for breakfast and they didn't agree with my stomach."

"Kensi, nothing agreed with your stomach, until about a month ago."

* * *

><p><em>Present…<em>

* * *

><p>"How are you," G asked, as Nikki lay her head against his shoulder.<p>

"I don't know," she answered, "A third of me is scared out of my mind, because Kensi is my best friend and that kid of hers already has me wrapped around their pinky finger and they're not even born yet. Another third of me is saying I need to be strong for Deeks."

"And the last part?"

"The last part is so glad you're here, because I would be completely lost without you right now," Nikki confessed. G smiled down at her, before capturing her lips in a passionate kiss. Nikki smiled into the kiss, before she reluctantly pulled away, because it was neither the time or the place.

* * *

><p><em>26 Hours Before the Accident…<em>

* * *

><p>"I am so glad that we decided to do this," Sheila moaned, while they all got their manicures and pedicures done. Nikki smiled and continued to flip through a bridal magazine, she had bought while they were on their way here. Her and G were planning to not get married until next year, to give the little one currently in Kensi's stomach time to grow, but she still wanted to plan.<p>

"We should do this more often," Nell agreed, as she sat comfortably while the woman attending to her, scraped the dead skin off the underside of her foot.

"I'll just have to find a permanent babysitter, and then we can," Sheila said.

"I know someone who could use the practice," Kensi offered, "Well really two someones.

"Who," Sheila asked.

"Deeks and G."

"Wait…why does G need the practice," Nikki asked, looking up from her magazine at the mention of G's name.

"Oh, come on, Nik," Kensi said, "You of all people want to know if G is good with kids. You're engaged to the guy for God's sake. Plus I know you Nikki, you want kids of your own."

"Of course I want to know if G will be a good father, but I'd rather he screw up yours and Deeks kid, than Sheila and Sam's," Nikki joked, causing Sheila and Nell to laugh.

"Why do you want him to screw up mine and Deeks' kid," Kensi asked, rubbing her baby bump.

"Face it Kens, the kid may have half of your DNA," Nikki started, flipping the page of her bridal magazine.

"But, they also have half of Deeks'," Nell continued.

"So the kid is bound to be messed up," Sheila finished, sending all of the girls into fits of laughter.

* * *

><p><em>Present...<em>

* * *

><p>Deeks sat with his head in his hands, as the group waited quietly for any news at all on how Kensi and Baby Blye-Deeks was doing. Deeks was trying to keep as calm as he could, like Nikki said, but he was slowly breaking down, because he was so worried. It would kill him and Kensi if anything happened to the little one, especially since over the past five months, they had been getting ready for her arrival.<p>

None of them knew, but they were able to get the gender of the baby at Kensi's last sonogram appointment. It was a baby girl. Kensi and him were so happy. He pictured a little girl that was a spitting image of Kensi, when she had been small, but with his eyes. He knew that Nikki and G had a fifty dollar bet on the gender of Baby Blye-Deeks and he was glad to say that G had won as of right now. The doctor had said, that there could be a chance that at the time of the birth, Jessica Deeks could become Jonathan Deeks.

The wait was killing him. Nikki had nodded off about an hour ago in G's arms, while Sam and Sheila left to go relieve Sheila's mother of babysitting duty, and now only he and Nell remained. Nell was playing games on her iPhone, or she was chatting with Eric, keeping him updated on everything, he was not sure which, but he just couldn't get his mind off of Kensi.

"You okay man," G asked, from behind him. Deeks turned to look at G and looked down at Nikki, who had turned in G's arms and was now cuddling into his chest.

"I just want to know what's happening," Deeks said, before looking down at his watch, "the girls have been here almost three hours and we still haven't heard a damn thing on whether or not Kensi and the baby are fine. I can't lose them dude, they're my only chance at a real family."

"Like Nikki said Deeks," G started, before the doors to the operating room's waiting room, opened and out walked a doctor with a clipboard.

"The family of Kensi Blye," he asked. Deeks slowly stood, while G shook her Nikki awake.

"What," she asked, "Is something wrong? Did something happen to Kensi?"

"No, but a doctor is here to talk to you and Deeks," G answered. Nikki quickly stood and went to stand beside Deeks.

"What's up doc?"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Hi everyone…**

**I'm really sorry about not updating over the past few months, but things got hectic and the inspiration just wasn't there. I hoped you enjoyed this update and I'll update more soon. Review…Review…Review.**

**xo**


	37. AN

**A/N: Hi there, **

**It's been a long time since I've even looked at this story and to be honest, I feel that it needs to go under a major and I do mean major rewrite. This major rewrite might mean that it won't even be the same story anymore, but I just can't keep writing it the way that I have. I'm not the same writer that I was when I wrote this and after going back and reading a lot of 'Broken on the Inside,' and going to watch NCIS: LA, I have changed the story so many times in my head.**

**This note is first to warn you about the major rewrite and secondly to promise you that even though it is going to take sometime I am going to try and keep the same (well, maybe not the same - that evil angsty plot bunny has found another home in another writer somewhere on this planet) feel that 'Broken on the Inside' once held.**

**Thank you for sticking with me, Nicole and G this long, and I hope that you'll enjoy the rewrites when they finally do see the light of FanFiction. **

**xo**


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